1. Properties
Bentonite is a kind of impure clay consisting montmorillonite mostly. It is with good adhesivity, expansitivity, adsorptivity, plasticity, dispersivity, lubricity, and positive-ion exchange property. It becomes very suspensivity when exchanged with other alkali base or lithium base, and will be with good decolor ability after acidizing treatment. Since it can be material of adhesive, suspending agent, absorbent, decolorant, plasticizer, catalyzer, purifying agent, detergent, thickening agent, cleanser, filler, enhancer and so on, it is known as the ” Universal Stone “. The chemical composition of bentonite is fairly stable.
2. Applications
1. Foundry sand binder; Quick drying paint: Sodium bentonite is widely used in wet casting, because of its strong adhesivity, plasticity, and air permeability. The finishing surface and knock-out capability are excellent, even with low consumption, which make the cost low too. And if used in dry casting with other clay, such as kaolin, also can get a great effect. Because of the extremely high colloid-index and swelling capacity of lithium bentonite, when it is used in alcohol quick drying paint, the cost is low, compared with using organic clay.
2. Iron ore pellet binder Because of the excellent adhesivity and high temperature stability of sodium bentonite, when added in 1~2% of sodium in iron ore concentrates, pellet will be produced after pelletizing and drying. Since this method can substantially increase capacity of blast, it has been used in many steel mills.
3. Drilling mud Bentonite is the main material in drilling fluids, to lubricate and cool the cutting tools, to remove cuttings, and to help prevent blowouts.
4. Paints Because of the great suspensivity, adhesivity and dispersivity of bentonite, when it is used as suspending agent added into paints, such as water soluble paint, waterproof paint, emulsified asphalt paint, anticorrosive paint, fire-retardant paint, etc., the suspensivity, adhesivity, brushability, and water resistance can be greatly improved. Bentonite also can used with heavy calcium powder to make putty into spackling compound. It is low cost and good effect.
5. Decolorizing and degreasing for edible oil Because of its strong adsorptivity, acidized active bentonite are widely used in decolorizing and degreasing animal and vegetable oils. And because of its great performance and innocuity, it is known as the best decolorant for edible purification.
6. Petrochemical Industry Since the great decoloring property, plasticity and thixotropy, it is used in petrochemical industry for producing oil refining catalzer, decolorant, and waste oil recycling agent, and so on.
7. Animal Food Since bentonite contains large amounts of trace elements (Fe, Cu, Zn, Mn), and because of its innocuity and small particle size, it can be added into animal food, and cause magical effects.
8. Pesticide Because of the excellent suspensivity and dispersivity of bentonite, it can be used as suspending agent in aqueous solution pesticides and as carrier in insecticide dust powder.
9. Manure When manure was made into particles with bentonite, the effect and soil can both be improved.
10. Afforestation The water-retaining property of water absorption materials made with bentonite is very good, which can achieve to 100~1000 times/gram, make it can be useful in afforestation.
11. Construction Can be used as anti-seepage materials for dam wall, as building foundation grouting material, as seepage control material for basement, garage, and metro.
12. Building materials Can be made into a variety of decorative plates, foam thermal insulation materials, inorganic insulation, wall plates, various types of tiles, floor tiles, ceramic glazes, coatings and so on, with other non-metallic materials.
13. Textile, silk printing and dyeing Can be used as sizing powder for yarn dyeing pastes instead of starch.
14. Everyday Chemicals Because of the adsorbability, thickening capacity, and plasticity of bentonite, it can be used to add in solid and liquid detergent to soften fabrics, enhance washing effect, and decrease cost. High purity, high white bentonite can be used as abrasives for toothpaste, to make it with good moisture retention and mobility. It can bring decontaminating, detoxicating, Itch stopping, moiusturing performance to cosmetics.
15. Food industry It can be used as filter agent for clarifying beer to reduce the content of macromolecular proteins, and extended the shelf life of it.
16. Earthing and Lightning Protection systems By adding bentonite into grounding resistance-reducing agent, the grounding performance can be improved, and the metal corrosion can be weaken. Using bentonite in earthing and lightening protection systems is low cost and with good performance.
17. Pharmaceuticals The strong adsorptivity and disintoxication, make it is with some auxiliary power in ringworm treating medicine and other medicines.
18. Sewage treatment Since the adsorptivity, dispersivity, suspensivity of it, bentonite is with good sewage treating performance, and suitable for kinds of sewage treatment .
