TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The evaporation of solvent is conducted at 10-200degreesC, preferably 20-90degrees C.The first mixed-valence manganese oxide material is contacted with a solution comprising a metal cation from groups I-VII of the periodic table to form a second mixed-valence manganese oxide material comprising the metal cations.The second oxide material is heated to not less than 500 degrees C to produce a third mixed-valence manganese oxide material comprising the metal cation.Preferred Property: The average manganese oxidation state is 3.4-3.6.The solution comprises quat. ammonium manganese oxide as amorphous particles of 40-60 Angstrom.Preferred Component: The solvent comprises water.The first mixed manganese oxide material self-assembles into the form of a ring, helix, or a strand.It comprises a synthetic bimessite of formula 4Mn14O27.nH2O.The metal cation is lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, manganese, calcium, strontium, or barium.The second mixed-valence manganese oxide material comprises a bimessite of formula (Mq+)4/qMn14O27.nH2O.The third mixed-valence manganese oxide material comprises a cryptomelane material of formula K1.85Mn4+4.7Mn3+3.3O14.57.n'H2O.n = 5-50;Mq+ = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba;n' = not more than 1.Preferred Composition: The solution comprises the mixed-valence manganese oxide anion at a concentration of 10-3 to 10-1 moles/L as atomic manganese.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Component: The quat. ammonium cation is of formula NR4+, preferably tetramethylammonium or tetraethylammonium.The solvent comprises alcohol from methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, n-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 3-pentanol, or preferably 2-butanol.R = 1-6C alkyl group.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CERAMICS AND GLASS - Preferred Component: The planar surface comprising hydroxyl groups comprises silicate glass. EXAMPLE - A colloidal solution of lamellar manganese oxide was prepared by adding 10 mmol (tetramethyl ammonium ions)(potassium permanganate) to a stirred mixture of 100 ml distilled deionized water and 30 ml 2-butanol at room temperature. After 30 minutes a dark red-brown solution was formed and the aqueous solution was separated. The amorphous sol starting characterized by small angle neutron scattering had homogeneous particle sizes of 40-60 Angstrom.