Patent ID: 7326750
Filing Date: 2008-02-05
Classification: C04B,C08F,C08L,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method to produce an expanded nanoclay comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a first intercalant, said first intercalant comprising an alkali salt of a fatty acid; (b) swelling a clay with water to prepare a swelled clay; (c) mixing said first intercalant with said swelled clay at a temperature of at least 50° C.; (d) adding a second intercalant to said mixture of step (c) to prepare a second mixture; and (e) precipitating said nanoclay from said second mixture, and (f) homogenizing said precipitate of nanoclay with a solution comprising of water and alcohol, wherein alcohol to water weight ratio is m:(1−m), where m is any number from 0.2 to 0.6.