LI Xueyong heard the work report

LI Xueyong, governor of Jiangsu province, heard the work report about the research and development of attapulgite clay made by Prof. WANG Aiqin from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), CAS during his inspection in the Jiangsu Jiuchuan Nano-material Technology Co., Ltd on March 16, 2011. He thanked LICP for establishing R&D Center of Attapulgite Clay Application in Xuyi and spoke highly of CAS’s scheme to encourage scientist to work as vice mayor or vice county-chief which integrates production, education and research.

LICP has a relatively long history of research on attapulgite clay. It has carried out systematic research on the physicochemical properties, organic modification and nano composite materials of attapulgite clay. In December 2008, it established Joint Laboratory of Attapulgite Clay Research and Development with Jiangsu Jiuchuan Nano-material Technology Co., Ltd. The Laboratory has made progress in super-dispersion of attapulgite clay, inhibition of second agglomeration, adsorbents with three-dimensional cross-linked networks and highly absorbing inorganic gel of attapulgite clay. In August 2010, R&D Center of Attapulgite Clay Application, which has received support from the Bureau of Science and Technology of Jiangsu province, was established jointly by LICP and Xuyi government.

Attapulgite clay is a magnesium aluminium phyllosilicate. Due to its special nanorods and micropore structure, it has been applied widely in decoloration, absorption and carrier materials. But, generally speaking, the added value of products is not so high. The properties of nano materials have not been fully developed.

Xuyi County of Jiangsu province is abundant in attapulgite clay. In recent years, Xuyi government has paid much attention to the high value added utilization of attapulgite clay. LI Xueyong spoke highly of their work and at the same time he pointed out that much effort still had to be made in deep processing, lengthening industry chain and building a brand. He hoped that LICP could provide technological support for the development of attapulgite clay in Xuyi with its advantages in human and technological resources.