TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - CERAMICS AND GLASS - Preferred Components: The particles are 1 nm to 5 microns (preferably 1-5) microns, and have at least one aspect ratio of 1:1-300:1 (preferably 100:1-300:1).Preferred Compositions: The concentration of particles in the first particle/solvent dispersion is at least 0.01 (preferably at least 50) wt.%.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The first solvent is water, methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, 2-propanol, butanol, chloroform, dichloromethane, acetone, glycerol, and/or ethylene glycol. The second solvent is xylene, tetrahydrofuran, dichlorobenzene, dimethylacetamide, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, sulfolane, ethylene glycol, water, n-methyl pyrrolidinone, and/or alcohol having at least six carbons.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Method: The providing step comprises dispersing the particles in the first solvent, or increasing the ionic strength or modifying the pH of the first solvent. The dissolving step comprises dissolving the polymer in a solvent and combining the third particle/solvent dispersion and the polymer solution. The extracting step further comprises drying the third particle/solvent dispersion to remove at least a portion of the second solvent, film drying the third particle/solvent dispersion, spray-drying the third particle/solvent dispersion, wet spinning the third particle/solvent dispersion, electrospinning the third particle/solvent dispersion, and precipitating the polymer and particles from the third particle/solvent dispersion. The extracting step comprises distillation. The method further comprises including a salt, a base, a surfactant, or one or more of polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol in the first particle/solvent dispersion.Preferred Components: The polymer is a block copolymer such as polyurethane, polyester, polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol-polyethylene oxide polymer, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer, polyurea, polyamide, polyacrylate, polymethacrylate, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyisoprene, polybutylene, polyethylene terephthalate, poly methyl methacrylates, polyacrylonitrile, polyimide, carboxymethyl cellulose, polyethylene oxide, polyethers, polyethyl acrylates, glycerine polyester, acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene (ABS) rubber, epoxy resin, polyacrylamide, quaternary amine modified cellulose, dextran, gelatin, octadecylmethacrylate, polystyrene, polyvinylchloride, polyacetal, or polyoxymethylene. The polyurethane comprises polytetramethylene oxide. EXAMPLE - Laponite(RTM: smectite clay) (1 g) was added to water (100 g) and stirred for 1 day. Dimethylacetamide (DMAC) (200 g) was added to the Laponite(RTM: smectite clay)/water suspension and stirred for 1 day. The water was removed from the mixture by vacuum distillation to form a Laponite(RTM: smectite clay)/DMAC suspension. Elasthane(RTM: polyurethane) (2 g) was dissolved in the suspension. At this stage, solution concentrations may be further adjusted by removing the DMAC via distillation or by adding more DMAC. Films of an Elasthane(RTM: polyurethane)/Laponite(RTM: smectite clay) nanocomposite were prepared by evaporation of the solvent. The Laponite(RTM: smectite clay) nanoparticles were oriented in uncorrelated directions, exhibiting complete dispersion.