Abstract: 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 nf functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, nf being a number from 3 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms nc being from 4 to 12; has a ratio nc/(1+nf) from 1 to 2, wherein nc is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and nf is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.

Abstract: A process for delamination of a layered silicate in an aqueous medium includes treating a synthetic or naturally occurring 2:1 clay mineral layered silicate with a delamination agent, and contacting the treated layered silicate with an aqueous medium. An amount of the delamination agent used to treat the layered silicate can be at least equal to the cation exchange capacity of the layered silicate. A delaminated layered silicate can be obtained from the process and provided in a dispersion, a composite, or a barrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sheet silicate lamellae of a 2:1 sheet silicate with a high aspect ratio, to a method for producing these sheet silicate lamellae and to an aqueous dispersion which comprises the sheet silicate lamellae. The present invention further relates to the use of the sheet silicate lamellae of the invention for producing a composite material, and also to a corresponding composite material comprising or obtainable using the sheet silicate lamellae, more particularly for use as a diffusion barrier or as a flame retardant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sheet silicate lamellae of a 2:1 sheet silicate with a high aspect ratio, to a method for producing these sheet silicate lamellae and to an aqueous dispersion which comprises the sheet silicate lamellae. The present invention further relates to the use of the sheet silicate lamellae of the invention for producing a composite material, and also to a corresponding composite material comprising or obtainable using the sheet silicate lamellae, more particularly for use as a diffusion barrier or as a flame retardant.

Abstract: 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 nf functional groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl groups, ether groups, sulfonic acid ester groups and carboxylic acid ester groups, nf being a number from 3 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms nc being from 4 to 12; has a ratio nc/(1+nf) from 1 to 2, wherein nc is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and nf is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.

Abstract: 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 Lc from ?0.25 to ?1.0 and a charge equivalent area As=47.6 ?2/(2Lc), 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, nf being a number from 1 to 10; comprises a total number of carbon atoms nc being from 2 to 20; has a ratio nc/(1+nf) from 1 to 5, wherein nc is the total number of carbon atoms of the delamination agent and nf is the total number of functional groups in the delamination agent as defined under ii.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sheet silicate lamellae of a 2:1 sheet silicate with a high aspect ratio, to a method for producing these sheet silicate lamellae and to an aqueous dispersion which comprises the sheet silicate lamellae. The present invention further relates to the use of the sheet silicate lamellae of the invention for producing a composite material, and also to a corresponding composite material comprising or obtainable using the sheet silicate lamellae, more particularly for use as a diffusion barrier or as a flame retardant.