Composites derived from exfoliated Laponite and Mn-Al hydrotalcite prepared in inverse microemulsion: A new strategy for design of robust VOCs combustion catalysts

•Novel strategy for design of mixed oxide/clay combustion catalysts is proposed.•Hydrotalcite inverse microemulsion is combined with exfoliated clay.•The use of organoclay facilitates dispersion of hydrotalcite nanoparticles.•Organoclay-based composites are resistant to sintering.•Active phase in organoclay-based catalysts forms uniform, well ordered nanocrystals.