A method for manufacturing granulated silica. The method includes granulating silica powders each having a primary particle size of 5 to 50 nm by use of water, and hydrophobizing each surface of the silica powders with a silicon atom-containing hydrophobizing agent before or simultaneously with the granulation step.

Provided is a silica that exhibits a high matting property when utilized as a matting agent for a paint, and can also suppress the occurrence of cloudiness. The silica has an aggregated structure in which primary particles are aggregated, has a particle diameter ratio R represented by the following equation (1) of from 4.3 to 5.2, has an absorbance of 0.6 or less for light having a wavelength of 700 nm as an aqueous dispersion having a concentration of 1.48 mass %, and has a particle density measured with a He pycnometer of 2.18 g/cm.sup.3 or more: Equation (1) R=.sup.LD50/.sup.CD50 (in the equation (1), .sup.LD50 represents a volume-based 50% cumulative particle diameter (μm) of the silica measured based on a laser diffraction/scattering method, and .sup.CD50 represents a volume-based 50% cumulative particle diameter (μm) of the silica measured based on a Coulter counter method).

Provided is a silica that exhibits a high matting property when utilized as a matting agent for a paint, and can also suppress the occurrence of cloudiness. The silica has an aggregated structure in which primary particles are aggregated, has a particle diameter ratio R represented by the following equation (1) of from 4.3 to 5.2, has an absorbance of 0.6 or less for light having a wavelength of 700 nm as an aqueous dispersion having a concentration of 1.48 mass %, and has a particle density measured with a He pycnometer of 2.18 g/cm.sup.3 or more: Equation (1) R=.sup.LD50/.sup.CD50 (in the equation (1), .sup.LD50 represents a volume-based 50% cumulative particle diameter (μm) of the silica measured based on a laser diffraction/scattering method, and .sup.CD50 represents a volume-based 50% cumulative particle diameter (μm) of the silica measured based on a Coulter counter method).

Provided is a method for producing surface-treated silica powder that has excellent gap permeability and that allows a resin composition to have low viscosity in a case where the surface-treated silica powder is used as a resin filler, for example, for a semiconductor sealant. A surface treatment agent is brought into contact with silica powder such that: (1) a cumulative 50 mass % diameter D.sub.50 of a mass-based particle size distribution obtained by a centrifugal sedimentation method is 300 nm to 500 nm (preferably 330 nm to 400 nm); (2) a loose bulk density is 250 kg/m.sup.3 to 400 kg/m.sup.3 (preferably 270 kg/m.sup.3 to 350 kg/m.sup.3); and (3) {(D.sub.90−D.sub.50)/D.sub.50}×100 is 30% to 45% (preferably 33% to 42%), to modify the surface of the silica powder, so that surface-treated silica powder is produced.

Composites comprising polymer grafted particles that are capable of forming interparticle interactions, and related methods, are generally described.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid solution or dispersion of polydisperse polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets from the solution or dispersion; drying the liquid droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres and metal oxide; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

The present invention refers to silica particles functionalized with one or more silanes comprising a terminal group enabling a condensation reaction with the silica particles' surface, and at least one further terminal group for the modification of the silica particles' properties. The invention also relates to a process for the functionalization of silica particles by silanes, silanes as applied for the functionalization of the silica particles according to the invention, a process for the functionalization of silica by silanes, silica particles comprising a functional group, the use of the silica particles according to the invention, and coating compositions comprising the silica particles according to the invention.

An aqueous, particle-stabilized Pickering emulsion along with methods or processes for producing the same and particles produced therefrom.

Fumed silica powder, surface treated with a surface treatment agent selected from the group consisting of organosilanes, silazanes, acyclic polysiloxanes, cyclic polysiloxanes, and mixtures thereof, wherein the powder has: a) a number of silanol groups relative to BET surface area d.sub.SiOH of at least 0.85 SiOH/nm.sup.2, as determined by reaction with lithium aluminium hydride; b) a methanol wettability of more than 40% by volume of methanol in methanol-water mixture; c) a tamped density of not more than 200 g/L.

A composite negative electrode active material, which includes: a silicon-based core particle; an outer carbon coating layer positioned on a surface of the silicon-based core particle; first single-walled carbon nanotubes in contact with the outer carbon coating layer, wherein the first single-walled carbon nanotubes protrude from the outer carbon coating layer; a conductive structure spaced apart from the outer carbon coating layer, wherein the conductive structure includes at least one second single-walled carbon nanotubes; and a crosslinking material bonded to the first single-walled carbon nanotube and at least one of the second single-walled carbon nanotubes. The at least one of the second single-walled carbon nanotubes is crosslinked with the first single-walled carbon nanotube by the crosslinking material, and wherein the conductive structure and the first single-walled carbon nanotube are connected to each other.