Azinium salts as splayant for layered materials

A splayed material comprising a layered material splayed with an azinium compound capable of splaying a layered material and represented by the following formula I:

• wherein A and B independently represent a carbon, C—R5, C—R6 or nitrogen;
• X is independently O, N, S, C═O, C═S, O—C═O or R7—C—R8;
• each R1, R2, R3, R4, R6, R5, R7, and R8 is independently hydrogen, alkyl or an aryl group;
• and Y is a charge balancing anion, wherein Y is part of said A, B, or R groups.

A splayant comprising an azinium compound capable of splaying a layered material and represented by the following formula II:

• wherein A represents a carbon, C—R5, nitrogen, sulfur or oxygen atom with sufficient bonds and substituents to form a heteroaromatic ring and each R independently represents a hydrogen or a substituent;
• X is independently O, N, S, C═O, C═S, O—C═O or R7—C—R8;
• each R1, R2, R3, R4, R7, and R8 is independently hydrogen, alkyl or an aryl group;
• and Y is a charge balancing anion.