The invention relates to a process for delamination of a layered silicate in an aqueous medium, wherein in a first step a layered silicate is treated with a delamination agent, and in a second step the thus treated layered silicate is contacted with an aqueous medium, whereby the delamination agent is a compound having exactly one positively charged atom, the positively charged atom being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and phosphorous; contains n.sub.f functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, n.sub.f being a number from 3 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms n.sub.c being from 4 to 12; has a ratio n.sub.c/(1+n.sub.f) from 1 to 2, wherein n.sub.c is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and n.sub.f is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.; contains n.sub.t atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, oxygen and sulfur, n.sub.t being 9; and wherein the delamination agent is used to treat the layered silicate in an amount of at least equal to the cation exchange capacity of the layered silicate. The invention further relates to the thus produced delaminated layered silicates, their use in the production of composite and coating material and as a barrier material. Moreover, the invention relates to compositions containing the thus produced delaminated layered silicates.

The invention relates to a process for delamination of a layered silicate in an aqueous medium, wherein in a first step a layered silicate having a layer charge L.sub.c from 0.25 to 1.0 and a charge equivalent area A.sub.s=47.6 .sup.2/(2L.sub.c), is treated with a delamination agent, and in a second step the thus treated layered silicate is contacted with an aqueous medium, whereby the delamination agent is a compound having exactly one positively charged atom, the positively charged atom being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and phosphorous; contains of functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, n.sub.f being a number from 1 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms n.sub.c being from 2 to 20; has a ratio n.sub.c/(1+n.sub.f) from 1 to 5, wherein n.sub.c is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and n.sub.f is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.; and has a charge equivalent area A.sub.d being from at least 0.90-fold to 3-fold of the charge equivalent area of the layered silicate A.sub.s; and wherein the delamination agent is used to treat the layered silicate in an amount of at least equal to the cation exchange capacity of the layered silicate, with the proviso that n.sub.f2, if L.sub.c0.6. The invention further relates to the thus produced delaminated layered silicates, their use in the production of composite and coating material and as a barrier material. Moreover, the invention relates to compositions containing the thus produced delaminated layered silicates.

Described herein are methods for continuous production of an exfoliated two-dimensional (2D) material comprising passing a 2D material mixture through a convergent-divergent nozzle, the 2D material mixture comprising a 2D layered material and a compressible fluid. The method of the present disclosure employs physical compression and expansion of a flow of high-pressure gases, leaving the 2D layered material largely defect free to produce an exfoliated 2D layered in a simple, continuous, and environmentally friendly manner.

A reflective particulate material includes a particulate substrate having high total solar reflectance, bulk and apparent densities and toughness, and a low dust index. The reflective particulate can have a total solar reflectance of 80% to 87%, a toughness of 1% or fewer fines, an apparent density of 2.75 g/cm.sup.3 or greater, and a dust index of 1 or lower. A method of manufacturing the reflective particulate material includes preparing a slurry of the particulate substrate, spray drying the slurry to form a spray dried particulate, crushing the spray dried particulate to form a crushed particulate, and heating/calcining the crushed particulate. The heated, crushed particulate may further be coated to form a coated roofing granule.

Inorganic particulate compositions containing inorganic particles associated with a copolymer of a hydrophilic monomer and a hydrophobic monomer associated with the inorganic particles are provided. The particulate composition satisfies at least one of the following properties: a BET surface area of the inorganic particles is greater than 8 m.sup.2/g, a Hegman value of the inorganic particles is 75 microns or less, and a rate of water loss from the composition upon drying from a moisture level greater than 2% wt % is at least 30% greater than a composition having a corresponding content of a polyacrylate polymer associated with the particles. A method to prepare the composition and formulations for inks, paints, coatings and filled polymeric articles containing the inorganic particulate composition are also provided.

Hybrid organic/inorganic coating compositions of nanometer thickness are described, where the organic layer is a clay-containing layer comprising a clay and a hydrophilic polymer and the inorganic layer is a metal-containing layer comprising a metal with a refractive index greater than 1.5, where the coating compositions allow for the generation and tenability of iridescent color through control of the coat thickness.

A method and composition for modifying bentonite to allow the bentonite to be useful in drilling mud applications. The method includes the steps of: preparing bentonite local to Saudi Arabia using raw water to remove contaminants from the bentonite; grinding the bentonite to a fine powder; sieving the fine powder to be between about 50 m and about 150 m in particle size to produce a sieved fine powder; mixing the sieved fine powder with polyanionic cellulose polymer to produce a modified bentonite composition; adding the modified bentonite composition to water until a homogeneous solution of modified bentonite in water is formed; and allowing the homogeneous solution of modified bentonite in water to rest for about 16 hours to form a composition useful in drilling mud applications.

A method and composition for modifying bentonite to allow the bentonite to be useful in drilling mud applications. The method includes the steps of: preparing bentonite local to Saudi Arabia using raw water to remove contaminants from the bentonite; grinding the bentonite to a fine powder; sieving the fine powder to be between about 50 m and about 150 m in particle size to produce a sieved fine powder; mixing the sieved fine powder with polyanionic cellulose polymer to produce a modified bentonite composition; adding the modified bentonite composition to water until a homogeneous solution of modified bentonite in water is formed; and allowing the homogeneous solution of modified bentonite in water to rest for about 16 hours to form a composition useful in drilling mud applications.

A reflective particulate material comprises a particulate substrate, and a coating on the particulate substrate. The coated reflective particulate material may have a relative error of an amount of the coating on the particulate substrate of about 5% to about 15%, and/or a dust index of about 5 or lower, and/or a staining loss of about 8% to about 11%. A method of manufacturing the reflective particulate material comprises mixing the particulate substrate with a liquid coating composition to form a wet particulate mixture, passing the wet particulate mixture through at least one heat zone to remove water and/or moisture, and curing the coating material in the coating composition.

A reflective particulate material comprises a particulate substrate, and a coating on the particulate substrate. The coated reflective particulate material may have a relative error of an amount of the coating on the particulate substrate of about 5% to about 15%, and/or a dust index of about 5 or lower, and/or a staining loss of about 8% to about 11%. A method of manufacturing the reflective particulate material comprises mixing the particulate substrate with a liquid coating composition to form a wet particulate mixture, passing the wet particulate mixture through at least one heat zone to remove water and/or moisture, and curing the coating material in the coating composition.