Gelling agent and gel compositions

A gelation agent obtained by mixing a water swelling clay mineral with a quaternary ammonium salt cation surfactant, said water swelling clay mineral comprising a Colloidal hydrated aluminum silicate with a three-layer structure represented by the following formula:

• (X, Y)2□3(Si, Al)4O10 OH)2Z1/3□nH2O
• wherein
• X is Al, Fe(III), Mn(III), or Cr(III);
• Y is Mg, Fe(II), Ni, Zn, Li, or Mn(II);
• Z is K, Na, 1/2Ca, or 1/2Mg;
• and
• n is a natural number greater than 0;
• and said guaternary ammonium salt cation surfactant is represented by the following formula:
• where R1 denotes a benzyl group or alkyl group with a carbon number of 10-22;
• R2 denotes a methyl group or alkyl group with a carbon number of 10-22, R3 and R4 are hydroalkyl groups or alkyl groups with a carbon number of 1-3, and X denotes a halogen atom or methyl sulfate residue, and a higher alcohol which is liquid at normal temperatures,
• said quaternary ammonium salt cation surfactant being present in an amount of 60-140 mili-equivalents for 100 g of said water swelling clay, and said higher alcohol being present in an amount of 1-500 g for 100 g of water swelling clay mineral.

A gelation agent obtained by mixing a water swelling clay mineral with a guaternary ammonium salt cation surfactant, said water swelling clay mineral comprising a colloidal hydrated aluminum silicate with a three-layer structure represented by the following formula:

• (X, Y)2□3(Si, Al)4O10(CH)2Z1/2□nH2O
• wherein
• A is Al, Fe(III), Mn(III), or Cr(III);
• Y is Mg, Fe(III), Ni, Zn, Li, or Mn(II);
• 2 is X, Na, 1/2Ca, or 1/2Mg;
• and
• n is a natural number greater than 0;
• and said quaternary ammonium salt cation surfactant is represented by the following formula:
• where R1 denotes a benzyl group or alkyl group with a carbon number of 10-22, R2 denotes a methyl group or alkyl group with a carbon number of 10-22, R3 and R4 are hydroalkyl groups or alkyl groups with a carbon number of 1-3, and X denotes a halogen atom or methyl sulfate residue;
• and either a fatty acid or a higher alcohol which is liquid at normal temperatures,
• said guaternary ammonium salt cation surfactant being present in an amount of 60-140 mili-equivalents for 100 g of sail water swelling clay, and said higher alcohol being present in an amount of 1-500 g for 100 g of water swelling clay mineral,
• said fatty acid being selected from the group consisting of oleic acid, isostearic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docohexaenoic acid, and said higher alcohol being selected from The group consisting of oleyl alcohol, isostearyl alcohol, octyldodecanol, decyltetradecanol, and jojoba alcohol.