| abstract |
A novel clay film, which comprises a natural clay or a synthetic clay as a main component, exhibits uniform orientation of clay particle laminates, is excellent in flexibility, has a mechanical strength sufficient for use as a self-standing film, and has a structure in which laminates of clay particles are highly oriented, wherein it contains mica, vermiculite, montmorillonite, iron montmorillonite, beidellite, saponite, hectorite, stevensite or nontronite as a main component, exhibits no structural change even at a high temperature of 250 to 600°C, is free of pin holes, and exhibits a gas permeation coefficient of less than 3.2 × 10-11 cm2s-1cmHg-1 for helium, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and air at room temperature. |