Patent ID: 7794625

Claim:
A method for preparing a composition comprising mineral particles, that is swelling TOT-TOT interlayer particles, formed by interlayering between: at least one non-swelling mineral phase formed by a stack of elementary laminae of the 2/1 phyllogermanosilicate type and having the chemical formula —(Si x Ge 1−x ) 4 M 3 O 10 (OH) 2 — and at least one swelling mineral phase formed by a stack of elementary laminae of the 2/1 phyllogermanosilicate type and at least one interfoliar space between two consecutive elementary laminae; said swelling mineral phase having the chemical formula —(Si x Ge 1−x ) 4 M 3−ε O 10 (OH) 2 , (M 2+ ) ε′ .nH 2 O—, in which chemical formulae: M denotes at least one divalent metal and has the formula Mg y(1) Co y(2) Zn y(3) Cu y(4) Mn y(5) Fe y(6) Ni y(7) Cr y(8) ; each y(i) representing a real number of the interval [0; 1], such that ∑ i = 1 8 ⁢ y ⁡ ( i ) = 1 , x is a real number of the interval [0; 1], ε and ε′ relate to the cation deficit of the elementary laminae of the swelling phase and to the cations present in the interfoliar space(s), respectively, said composition having an X-ray diffractogram comprising the following characteristic diffraction peaks: a plane (001) located at a distance of the order of 14-15 Å, representing said swelling mineral phase, planes representing said non-swelling mineral phase: a plane (001) located at a distance of the order of 9.60-10.50 Å; a plane (020) located at 4.50-4.60 Å; a plane (003) located at 3.10-3.20 Å; a plane (060) located at 1.50-1.55 Å, which method comprises subjecting a gel containing silicon, germanium and metal and having the chemical formula —(Si x Ge 1−x ) 4 M 3 O 11 ,n′H 2 O—, in the liquid state, to a hydrothermal treatment; said hydrothermal treatment is carried out for a period of time and at a temperature, of from 150° C. to 300° C., which are chosen according to the structural characteristics desired for said swelling TOT-TOT interlayer particles that are to be prepared; said hydrothermal treatment is carried out at a controlled pressure of the order of 16 bar and with stirring; for a given hydrothermal treatment temperature and time, additional water is added to said gel containing silicon, germanium and silicate in order to adjust the water/solid ratio representative of the reaction mixture based on gel containing silicon, germanium and metal that is to be treated, in dependence on the ratio by volume —swelling mineral phase/non-swelling mineral phase—desired for the swelling TOT-TOT interlayer particles that are to be prepared.