Organic-inorganic composites containing synthetic mica

Claim 1

An organic-inorganic composite mass demonstrating hydrophobic behavior consisting essentially of organic polycation-exchanged lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica crystals selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite, at least a substantial proportion of said crystals exhibiting a morphology of a continuum of flakes, rectangular-like strips, and interwoven ribbons in parallel or sub-parallel zones or sheaths, wherein said strips and ribbons are about 0.5-10 microns in length, about 500 Å-5000 Å in width, and less than 100 Å in thickness, and said flakes are irregularly shaped with diameters between about 0.5-10 microns and cross sections of less than about 100 Å, and said organic organic polycation being selected from the group of aminosilanes and organic chrome complexes which are chemically reactive werner complexes.

Claim 4

A method for preparing an organic-inorganic composite mass demonstrating hydrophobic behavior consisting essentially of organic polycation-exchanged lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica crystals selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite, which comprises the steps of: (a) forming a glass-ceramic body consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite; (b) contacting said body with a polar liquid for a time sufficient to cause swelling and disintegration thereof accompanied with the formation of a gel, at least a substantial portion of the crystals in said gel exhibiting a morphology of a continuum of flakes, rectangular-like strips, and interwoven ribbons in parallel or sub-parallel zones or sheaths, wherein said strips and ribbons are about 0.5-10 microns in length, about 500 Å-5000 Å in width, and less than 100 Å in thickness, and said flakes are irregularly shaped with diameters between about 0.5-10 microns and cross sections of less than about 100 Å; and (c) contacting said gel with a source of organic polycations selected from the group of aminosilanes and organic chrome complexes which are chemically reactive Werner complexes in an amount and for a time sufficient to cause an ion exchange reaction to occur between said organic polycations and essentially all of the Li + and/or Na + ions from the interlayer of said crystals.

Claim 5

A method for preparing an organic-inorganic composite mass demonstrating hydrophobic behavior consisting essentially of organic polycation-exchanged lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica crystals selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite, which comprises the steps of: (a) forming a glass-ceramic body consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite; (b) contacting said body with a polar liquid for a time sufficient to cause swelling and disintegration thereof accompanied with the formation of a gel, at least a substantial portion of the crystals in said gel exhibiting a morphology of a continuum of flakes, rectangular-like strips, and interwoven ribbons in parallel or sub-parallel zones or sheaths, wherein said strips and ribbons are about 0.5-10 microns in length, about 500 Å-5000 Å in width, and less than 100 Å in thickness, and said flakes are irregularly shaped with diameters between about 0.5-10 microns and cross sections of less than about 100 Å; and (c) contacting said gel with a source of organic polycations selected from the group of aminosilanes and organic chrome complexes which are chemically reactive Werner complexes in an amount and for a time sufficient to cause an ion exchange reaction to occur between said organic polycations and essentially all of the Li + and/or Na + ions from the interlayer of said crystals.

Claim 10

A method for preparing an organic-inorgranic composite mass demonstrating hydrophobic behavior consisting essentially of potassium ion and organic polycation-exchanged lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica crystals selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxy, hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite, which comprises the steps of: (a) forming a glass-ceramic body consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite; (b) contacting said body with a polar liquid for a time sufficient to cause swelling and disintegration thereof accompanied with the formation of a gel, at least a substantial portion of the crystals in said gel exhibiting a morphology of a continuum of flakes, rectangular-like strips, and interwoven ribbons in parallel or sub-parallel zones or sheaths, wherein said strips and ribbons are about 0.5-10 microns in length, about 500 Å-5000 Å in width, and less than 100 Å in thickness, and said flakes are irregularly shaped with diameters between about 0.5-10 microns and cross sections of less than about 100 Å; (c) contacting said gel with a source of K + ions in an amount and for a time sufficient to cause the essential total replacement of the Li + and/or Na + ions in the interlayer of the mica crystals with K + ions through an ion exchange reaction therebetween; and (d) contacting said K + ion exchanged gel with a source of organic polycations selected from the group of aminosilanes and organic chrome complexes which are chemically reactive Werner complexes in an amount and for a time sufficient to cause the replacement of up to about 40% of the K + ions in the interlayer of the mica crystals with organic polycations through an ion exchange reaction therebetween.

Claim 11

A method for preparing an organic-inorgranic composite mass demonstrating hydrophobic behavior consisting essentially of potassium ion and organic polycation-exchanged lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica crystals selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxy, hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite, which comprises the steps of: (a) forming a glass-ceramic body consisting essentially of a lithium and/or sodium water-swelling mica selected from the group of fluorhectorite, hydroxyl hectorite, boron fluorphlogopite, hydroxyl boron phlogopite, and solid solutions among those and between those and other structurally-compatible species selected from the group of talc, fluortalc, polylithionite, fluorpolylithionite, phlogopite, and fluorphlogopite; (b) contacting said body with a polar liquid for a time sufficient to cause swelling and disintegration thereof accompanied with the formation of a gel, at least a substantial portion of the crystals in said gel exhibiting a morphology of a continuum of flakes, rectangular-like strips, and interwoven ribbons in parallel or sub-parallel zones or sheaths, wherein said strips and ribbons are about 0.5-10 microns in length, about 500 Å-5000 Å in width, and less than 100 Å in thickness, and said flakes are irregularly shaped with diameters between about 0.5-10 microns and cross sections of less than about 100 Å; (c) contacting said gel with a source of K + ions in an amount and for a time sufficient to cause the essential total replacement of the Li + and/or Na + ions in the interlayer of the mica crystals with K + ions through an ion exchange reaction therebetween; and (d) contacting said K + ion exchanged gel with a source of organic polycations selected from the group of aminosilanes and organic chrome complexes which are chemically reactive Werner complexes in an amount and for a time sufficient to cause the replacement of up to about 40% of the K + ions in the interlayer of the mica crystals with organic polycations through an ion exchange reaction therebetween.