Layered Natural Minerals as Carriers of Active Components for Functional Materials

Abstract

Natural concentrates containing minerals of a layered structure are described to obtain functional materials for various purposes. Such minerals can significantly increase their active surface under the action of physical (temperature, laser irradiation, and electric current) or chemical (treatment with reagents) effects, which allows them to be used as carriers of alloying components present in initial minerals or additionally introduced into them via adsorption. They may also be used for the deposition of shell nanocoatings, providing surface modification of lamellar particles to acquire new physicochemical properties. We show that layered mineral concentrates (for example, phlogopite, muscovite, and lizardite) can be effectively used for the production of decorative pearlescent pigments and active fillers in the production of welding electrodes.