Patent ID: 8871272

Claim:
A process for preparing layered nanoparticles, comprising: providing a suspension S1 comprising inorganic core particles or organically modified inorganic core particles in a first liquid L1; combining the suspension S1 with a second liquid L2, said second liquid L2 being immiscible with the first liquid L1, so as to form a suspension S2; and adding a reagent or a precursor for the reagent to the suspension S2 comprising the second liquid L2, wherein, to form the layered nanoparticles, (i) if the reagent is added to the suspension S2 comprising the second liquid L2, then the reagent reacts to form a porous ceramic layer on the core particles, and (ii) if the precursor for the reagent is added to the suspension S2 comprising the second liquid L2, then the precursor is converted to the reagent, and the reagent thus formed reacts to form a porous ceramic layer on the core particles; and wherein the core particles have a core dopant substantially homogeneously distributed therein, or the second liquid L2 comprises a layer dopant so that the layer has the layer dopant substantially homogeneously distributed therein, or both; and wherein the layered nanoparticles are capable of releasing dopant.