Intercalated layered silicate

An intercalated layered silicate comprising:

• a layered silicate comprising a plurality of silicate layers;
• and
• at least one intercalating agent sorbed between the silicate layers in an amount effective to provide an average interlayer spacing between the silicate layers of at least about 20 Å, wherein the at least one intercalating agent has a formula selected from the group consisting of:
• wherein:
• R4 represents any of:
• 1) an acyl group having at least 8 carbon atoms;
• 2) an alkyl group having at least 8 carbon atoms;
• 3) an alkenyl group having at least 8 carbon atoms;
• 4) an alkadienyl group having at least 8 carbon atoms;
• and
• 5) a carbon chain group having at least 8 carbon atoms, wherein the carbon chain group incorporates one or more pendant or terminal groups selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, carboxyl, epoxy, isocyanate, aryl, and arylmethyl, wherein the arylmethyl group has the formula
• wherein “Ar” represents an aryl group, and R6 and R7 independently represent hydrogen, an acyl group, an alkyl group, or an alkenyl group;
• R5 represents H, —CH3, —CH2CH3, or any of the groups represented by R4;
• R8 represents an oxylated group having a formula selected from the group consisting of:
• wherein “n” ranges from 2 to 12, “x” ranges from 4 to 14, and “y” ranges from 0 to 3;
• and
• R1, R2, and R3 each independently represents H, —CH3, —CH2CH3,
• or any of the groups represented by R4 and R8, provided that at least one of R1, R2, and R3 is H.