General Definition of Bentonite Powder
The mineral bentonite can be found all over the world. Bentonite Powder is formed from weathering volcanic ash. It has some exceptional properties: when stirred into water, it demonstrates thixotropic behavior in which it becomes thinner and less viscous.
Bentonite is a clay that has a particularly useful characteristic. It can absorb many times its weight in water. It is useful in drilling wells because water mixed with bentonite tends to coat the walls of the hole and keep it from collapsing.
Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite. Bentonite is a clay generated frequently from the alteration of volcanic ash, consisting predominantly of smectite minerals, usually montmorillonite. Bentonite deposits are normally exploited by quarrying. Extracted bentonite is distinctly solid, even with a moisture content of approximately 30%. The material is initially crushed and, if necessary, activated with the addition of soda ash (Na2CO3). Bentonite is subsequently dried (air and/or forced drying) to reach a moisture content of approximately 15%. According to the final application, bentonite is either sieved (granular form) or milled (into powder and super fine powder form). For special applications, bentonite is purified by removing the associated gangue minerals, or treated with acids to produce acid-activated bentonite (bleaching earths), or treated with organics to produce organoclays. The different types of bentonite are each named after the respective dominant element, such as potassium (K), sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), and aluminium (Al).
(Zumrut Kimia) is a well-known supplier of bentonite in the Middle East. Using bentonite has a long history, and our bentonite has been used as a cleaner and cure during the centuries.
Bentonite is a mineral product structured from Alumina and Silica sheets.
While it can divide into particles with 0.003-micrometer dimension and 0.01-micrometer longitude. Therefore, easy separation and negative electrical charge result in rapid distribution of bentonite in water.
Besides, having high ion exchange capacity is one of the most significant characteristics of this mineral; Which has an obvious effect on bentonite’s classification as a tradable product.
there are two Calcium bentonite and Sodium bentonite. Sodium bentonite has a very high swelling capacity; As far as we mostly know it as Swelling bentonite.
The exclusive water absorption of sodium bentonite makes it a very efficacious material for construction and excavation. Though, Calcium bentonite has a lower swelling potential.
Zumrut Kimia as an experienced company in bentonite supply and export is active in this field. Our reliable and professional logistic team delivers cargoes to different ports all over the world.
Types of Bentonite
There are two basic types of Bentonite, Sodium type and Calcium type:
- Sodium Bentonite: Because of its high absorbency and clumping tendency, Sodium Bentonite is useful as a sealant. It is considered a safe, natural, nontoxic and inexpensive treatment for porous soils. Its swelling capacity gives Sodium Bentonite the ability to bond with soil and create and impenetrable barrier. Sodium Bentonite is also used for mud drilling, clumping cat litter, and as a bonding agent for feeds, medicines and cosmetics. Currently, Sodium Bentonite is being investigated as an absorbing agent to remove E-Coli bacteria from food.
- Calcium Bentonite: Calcium Bentonite is referred to as “living clay” because of the belief found in many cultures that it is useful as a medicine. The practice of geophagy or “earth eating” is centered on the belief that some clays such as Calcium Bentonite is able to be safely ingested for the absorption and removal of toxins from the gastrointestinal tract. Geophagy is known to have been practiced by some Indigenous peoples of Australia and Africa. The modern alternative healthcare industry uses Calcium Bentonite extensively for internal and external toxin removal that is believed to be based on ion exchange. Consult your doctor if you are considering ingestion of any non-food substance.
Application of Bentonite Powder
In short, Bentonite Powder is a versatile material with various uses. It is mainly used in the oil industry as a drilling fluid additive to control fluid losses and stabilize wells. In environmental remediation, the absorbent properties of bentonite make it effective for cleaning soil and water pollution. It is also used in foundry as an adhesive for sand cores and molds and increases the quality of foundry. Additionally, bentonite is a key ingredient in cat litter due to its excellent absorbency and clumping ability. In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used as an excipient in tablets and capsules and improves their disintegration and release properties. We will discuss each of the uses in detail in the following section.
The main uses are for drilling mud, binder foundy-sand bond.
- Drilling mud.
- ceramic tile
- Waterproof granule, precision casting.
- Absorbent (Cat Litter | Baby powder).
- Producing Calcium Bentonite and Potassium Bentonite .
- Purifier.
- Groundwater barrier.
- Iron and Steel foundries (pelletizing).
- Pharmaceuticals (On the skin to heal Eczema | dermatologic formulas Teeth and Gum ).
- Environmental (Purifies water | waste water | Construction).
- Battlefield wound dressings.
- Thai Farming and agriculture.
- Oils/ Food.
- Detergents.
- Catalyst.
- Paper Paints.
- Groundwater barrier.
Drilling Bentonite (API)
The most common use of bentonite is in drilling fluids. The bentonite in the flush fluid lubricates and cools the cutting tools while protecting against corrosion. As the drilling fluid generates hydrostatic pressure in the borehole, it hinders fluid and gas penetration. Bentonite API Grade is used to increase viscosity and reduce fluid‐loss in water‐base drilling fluids. It is a cost‐effective means of achieving viscosity, fluid‐loss control and filter‐cake quality in freshwater and seawater mud.
Pelletizing Bentonite
Bentonite is a binding agent used in the production of iron ore pellets, which are suitable for blast furnaces for pig iron production or direct reduction iron (DRI). It improves the dry compressive strength of iron concentrate pellets, allowing them to smelt without much damage.
Bentonite absorbs moisture, allowing higher moisture concentrate feeds to be pelletized. Its wetness causes clay layers to expand and disperse, forming a matrix that bonds ore particles together. Bentonite is well dispersed and retains an even distribution of moisture throughout the wet pellet as it grows.
During drying, bentonite increases the drying rate by providing a pathway for moisture removal. The practice of pelletizing iron ore concentrates began in the 1950s with bentonite clay as a binder, and it has remained the most acceptable binder due to its effectiveness and low cost.
Purification Bentonite
The high adsorption capacity of bentonite also is an important property when it comes to treatment and purification of process water, wastewater and effluents. Operating in concert with flocculation agents, bentonite agglomerates filler materials and colloidal constituents into stable flocs that can easily be skimmed after microflotation or sedimentation. This not only benefits our environment but also promotes a cost reduction for our customers.
In this regard, bentonite has been discovered to be a potential adsorbent for softening of water because of its ability to allow adsorption of cationic species such as Pb2+ and Cu2+ and acid dye. Native form of bentonite does not achieve high removal efficiency; therefore, to improve its adsorption capacity, bentonite is typically modified by the addition of other chemicals. Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), a surfactant with a negative charge, has potential to attract positive charge ionic component. It has been widely used in detergent due to the presence of alkylbenzene sulfonate which is a major constituent of synthetic detergent.
Paint Bentonite
Rheology plays a major role both in production and application stages of paint. Na-bentonite clay based thickening agent, is generally used to modify the viscosity of paints, since it is more economically and environmentally friendly compared to polymer based thickening agents.
Bentonites are used in variety of diverse industries including thickeners and extenders for paints.Color of rheological agents is an important parameter for paint industry. If the color is not white, it causes color problems for paint. Bentonite is a clay mineral, which can be used in many industries due to its unique chemical and physical properties.
Pet litter Bentonite
Bentonite is used for pet litter, due to its advantage of absorbing refuse by forming clumps (which can be easily removed) leaving the remaining product intact for further use.
- It is very efficient in absorbing moisture
- It is very efficient in preventing dispersion of unpleasant odors
- It makes the cleaning of the pets’ toilet very easy and simple
- It does not make the pets’ fur and claws dirty
- It prevents the growth of bacteria, fungi and parasites
- It is a fully natural material without artificial color or odor
- It provokes no discomfort if swallowed in small quantity.
Civil Engineering Bentonite Powder
Construction and Civil Engineering Bentonite in civil engineering applications is used traditionally as a thixotropic support and lubricant agent in diaphragm walls and founda- tions, in tunnelling, in horizontal directional drilling and pipe jacking. Bentonite, due to its viscosity and plasticity, is also used in Portland cement and mortars. According to directives of the European Union, bentonite is recommended as a sealing material in the construction and rehabilitation of landfills to ensure the protection of groundwater from the pollutants.
- Make excellent pond construction.
- Stabilize the excavation.
- Penetrates deep into cleavages and cracks and clog the pores.
- Supporting suspension for cut of diaphgram wall construction and shield tunneling.
- Develops good suspension at lower dossage.
- Sub soil sealing and friction agent.
- Environmentally safe and does not affect the water, live stock or wild life when properly applies.
- Soil concrete.
- Swells 15 – 18 times to its size when it becomes wet.
Animal & Poultry Feed Bentonite Powder
Bentonite is used as an animal feed supplement, as a pelletizing aid in the production of animal feed pellets, as well as a free flowing aid for unconsolidated feed ingredients such as soy meal. Besides this, Bentonite functions as a substance for reduction of the contamination of feed by mycotoxins. Because aflatoxins affinities with Bentonite, small amounts are added to animal feed to stimulate reduction in the animals system.
Fertilizer Bentonite Powder
Bentonite clay, a low-cost and widely available additive, has been found to be effective in addressing soil degradation and reducing crop production. When mixed with farming soil, it increases water-retention, allowing crops to access water. This technology has significantly improved yields and farmers’ incomes.
Bentonite can also be used as an ion exchange for soil improvement and conditioning, and as a porous ceramic carrier for herbicides and pesticides when thermally treated. Bentonite is available in powder and granular forms for agricultural use, thanks to its high CEC (Cation-Exchange-Capacity) making it a highly effective soil improvement and conditioning additive.
Casting Bentonite Powder
Bentonite is used as a binding material in the preparation of molding sand for the production of iron, steel and non-ferrous casting. The unique properties of bentonite yield green sand moulds with good flowability, compactability and thermal stability for the production of high quality castings.
Develops good green and dry strength and better flowability with optimum temperature of water.
High thermal stability.
Easy to develop sharp and strong mold edge and corners.
Good mold strength in high pressure molding.
Develops good strength at lower addition
Better control on active clay.
One of the reasons that bentonite is used as a binding material is the possibility of its multiple use. In the process of moulds pouring with liquid metal they are exposed to a high temperature influence, exceeding sometimes even 1000oC. A thermal stability of bentonite, in principle its main component – montmorillonite – as well as changes in microstructure decide on the bentonite suitability for foundry practice.
Advantages
Bentonite is a clay that hydrates more than other types of clays, making it ideal for generating viscosity, developing suspension gels, and controlling filtration. Its small particle size, unique flat shape, and high surface area provide superior filtration characteristics. Bentonite is also used as a filter cake control agent and suspension agent in freshwater systems and water-based gas systems.
It is also used as a lubricant/thinner for drilling fluids, such as drilling mud, which is crucial for removing drilling cuttings during the drilling process. When mixed with water, it forms a liquid (slurry) that cools and lubricates the drill bit, seals the hole, prevents leakage, and prevents well walls from collapsing.
When Drilling Bentonite is released into the water, it converts into colloidal particles, releasing electrical energy stored in the crystal lattice and swelling about 15 to 30 times its original volume. This property helps disperse heavy materials, create a coating on the good wall, prevent oil and gas migration, and stabilize the wall.
Features and properties (API Grade; 13A-section 9)
- This material must be in powder form and free of visible impurities.
- Humidity: maximum 12% at 105±2 ˚C
- Yield: minimum 16
- Plastic viscosity 600 Reading at 64 grams: minimum 30
- Yield Point/plastic viscosity ratio: maximum 3
- Volume Filter: maximum
Packing and Transportation
There are several types of packaging and transportation of bentonite powder and granules in accordance with the requirements of consumers.
The main type of packaging of powdered bentonite are disposable soft containers of the “Big-Run” type with a weight of 1 t. or 1.25 tons.
Bentonite powders can also be packed in polypropylene bags of 25 or 40 kg. and placed on pallets of 1t.
There is the possibility of unloading powdered bentonite in tank trucks.
Crushed dry bentonite can be shipped in bulk to a wagon or vessel, packaged in bulk in a sea container or packaged in a “Big Bag”.
Bentonite crumb for cat litter is packaged in disposable soft containers of the “Big-bag” type.
Lump bentonite may be shipped in bulk to the vessel in the ports of Poti or Batumi or to the railway gondola.
Products may be transported by rail, road, sea from the ports of Poti or Batumi, as well as a combined option via the Batumi-Odessa ferry.
According to customer’s demands.
- 25 kg Bag, 40 kg Bag, 50 kg Bag,
- 1.0 MT Jumbo Bag, 1.15 MT Jumbo Bag, 1.25 MT Jumbo Bag.
- Can be loose bulks in 1*20 FCL 25-27 tons (Lump form)
Specification of Bentonite Powder
Technical Data Sheet of API 13 A-Section 9:
| Viscometer Dial Reading at 600 rpm | 30Min |
|---|---|
| Yield Point/Plastic Viscosity Ratio | 3 Max |
| Filtrate Volume | 15.0 cm3 Max |
| Residue Greater than 75 Micrometers | 4.0 wt. % Max |
| Packing | 30 Kg PP/PE, paper Sacks, !Mt Big Bog |
| Uses | As Viscosifier in Drilling Fluid |
Technical Data Sheet of API 13 A-Section 11(ocma):
| Viscometer Dial Reading at 600 rpm | 30Min |
|---|---|
| Yield Point/Plastic Viscosity Ratio | 6 Max |
| Filtrate Volume | 16.0 cm3 Max |
| Residue Greater than 75 Micrometers | 4.0 wt. % Max |
| Packing | 30 Kg PP/PE, paper Sacks, !Mt Big Bog |
| Uses | As Viscosifier in Drilling Fluid |
Technical Data Sheet of Drilling (High yield):
| PARAMETER | SPECIFICATION |
|---|---|
| 600RPM | Min 60 |
| Plastic Viscosity | Min 4 |
| Residue of diameter greater than 200mesh (%) | Min 6 |
| Percentage of Moisture (%) | Min 12 |
Technical Data Sheet of Fertilizing:
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Swelling index (2gr) | 22 – 24 |
| Gelling index (24 hours) | 16 |
| Percentage of Montmorillonite (MN 616) | 54 |
| Wet Tensile Strength (KgF/cm2) | 0.09 |
| Green Compressive Strength (KgF/cm2) | 0.35 |
| PH | 8.8 – 9 |
| Water Absorption (24h) | 500 – 550 |
| 600 RPM | 26 - 28 |
| Ratio (Yield Point / Plastic Viscosity) | 4 |
| Percentage of Moisture (%) | Maximum 12 |
| Residue of diameter greater than 200mesh (%) | Maximum 14 |
Technical Data Sheet of Tiles and ceramics:
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Swelling index (2gr) | 18-20 |
| Gelling index (24 hours) | 14 |
| Percentage of Montmorillonite (MN 616) | 50-54 |
| Water Absorption (24h) | 500-550 |
| Percentage of Moisture (%) | 10-12 |
| Residue of diameter greater than 200mesh (%) | Maximum 6 |
