This special topic volume is a result from the contributions of twenty five experts from the international scientific community in their respective field of research. The volume focuses the use of clay based layered materials for different functional applications ranging from catalysis, biomaterials to self-healing coatings. It gives a comprehensive picture of the possible applications and future developments of clay materials. It provide in depth discussion by the researchers with respect to chemical intercalation, drug delivery, environmental, and engineering applications. All together the volume contains nine state of the art articles and reviews.Specialists from several countries and disciplines explore the use of clay-based layered materials for different functional applications ranging from catalysis and biomaterials to self-healing coatings. Among the topics are hydrotalcites as catalysts and catalyst precursors for synthesizing biodiesel, the adsorption of acid dyes on hydrotalcite-like anionic clays, recent developments in clay-based functional coating for corrosion protection, drug delivery using nano-sized layered double hydroxide, and progress in the one-pot synthesis of methyl isobutyl ketone using catalysts based on multifunctional layered clay.