Patent ID: 8163842

Claim:
A method for producing a transparent composite material comprising a first step of subjecting a synthetic smectite having a number average particle diameter of from 10 to 300 nm and an aspect ratio of from 10 to 300 to organizing treatment with a quaternary ammonium salt and/or a quaternary phosphonium salt; a second step of mixing the synthetic smectite subjected to organizing treatment and a curable resin to prepare a resin composition containing the synthetic smectite in an amount of 10 to 40 mass %; a third step of curing the resin composition to obtain a cured product; and a fourth step of removing the organic volatile components remaining in the cured product, such that, when the cured product after the fourth step is heated at 200° C. for one hour under reduced pressure of 0.1 kPa or less, a decrease in mass of the cured product after heating is 1% or less from the mass of the cured product after the fourth step.