Patent ID: 8501068

Claim:
A method comprising reversibly swelling an oxide material to produce an unwashed swollen layered oxide material, the oxide material having a first layer structure; and washing the unwashed swollen layered oxide material with water to produce a washed swollen layered oxide material having a second layer structure substantially the same as the first layer structure and an X-ray diffraction pattern comprising: d(Å) 100 I/I 0 40.7 ± 1.8 vs 20 ± 0.38 w 13.4 ± 0.17 w 12.3 ± 0.14 w 10.45 ± 0.1 w 9.3 ± 0.08 w 6.7 ± 0.04 w 4.4 ± 0.03 w 3.9 ± 0.03 w 3.5 ± 0.03 w 3.4 ± 0.03 w 3.3 ± 0.03 w, wherein d(Å)=interplanar spacing; I=peak height intensity; I 0 =intensity of strongest peak:, 100 I/I 0 =relative peak intensity; vs=greater than 60 up to about 100; and w=zero up to about 20; and wherein the oxide material is a layered oxide material which is swollen at room temperature.