Water-solubilized aminoclay-metal nanoparticle composites and their novel properties

Nanoparticles of metals such as Au, Ag, Pd and Pt embedded in exfoliated sheets of aminoclays of the type R8Si8Mg6O16(OH)(4), where R = CH2CH2NH2 are entirely water soluble. These sheets of the composite come to the organic-aqueous interface on addition of alkane thiols to the aqueous layer.