About Bentonites
Bentonite is a retentive expanding clay that mainly contains montmorillonite. Typically, it forms when volcanic residue weathers in seawater, which turns the volcanic glass found in the residue to earthy minerals. Bentonite beds are white, pale blue, or green in color when they are under a fresh environment. When the environment is weathered more, they turn to cream and afterward yellow, red, or earthy brown colors.
It can absorb a huge portion of water, which increases its volume as a result. Hence, these are not used for building and road construction. But its swelling quality deems useful in drilling groundwater sealants and mud. Montmorillonite being an aluminum phyllosilicate mineral takes the structure of tiny platy grains. All these properties make the clay cohesive, which is used as a binder and an add-on in pottery making clay, kaolinite.
Types of Bentonites:
Bentonite types are named as per the primary domains that they are useful for. Industrial domain uses two major classes: calcium and sodium bentonite. Calcium bentonite is commonly found, whereas sodium bentonite is more significant.
Sodium Bentonite
Sodium bentonite swells when dampened. Due to its incredible colloidal properties, its main usage comes under drilling mud used in oil and gas wells along with boreholes for environmental research. Its property to expand also makes Sodium bentonite suitable to use as a sealant. It is supportive in lining the bottom of landfills. Different surface moderations to sodium bentonite, such as adding polymers, enhance its implementation in geo-environmental uses. It can also be added to sulfur as fertilizer drops. Organic farming makes use of sulfur or bentonite fillings with additional organic fertilizers.
Calcium Bentonite
Calcium bentonite absorbs ions in solution, fats and oils. Being the primary ingredient of fuller's earth, it is known to be one of the initial cleaning agents used in industries. It can be turned to sodium bentonite through the method of ion exchange in order to present many of its properties. Some characteristics like viscosity and liquid loss of suspensions, exhibited by this type of converted calcium bentonite (or sodium-beneficiated bentonite) may fail to match the properties of natural sodium bentonite. For instance, leftover calcium carbonate may induce bentonite to have low performance in geosynthetic liners.
Potassium Bentonite
Potassium bentonite is also referred to as K-bentonite or potash bentonite and is an illitic clay rich in potassium made by the modification of smectic clay. Illite is a TOT clay mineral that is high in charge, and has sheets enclosed powerfully by a plethora of potassium ions. Hence, it does not expand and is used for a few industrial purposes.
Uses :
Bentonite is mainly used in drilling mud and as an absorbent, purifier, binder, and as a means to carry pesticides or fertilizers. It is also used as a sealant, filler, and catalyst in purification of petroleum.
Drilling mud
The utilization of bentonite comes in drilling mud for lubrication and cooling of the tools used for cutting, elimination of cuttings, and in prevention of blowouts.
Binding
Bentonite is greatly used in the form of a foundry-sand binder in iron and steel factories. Sodium bentonite is normally used in massive castings that utilize dry molds, whereas calcium bentonite is used in small-scale castings with wet molds. Bentonite also serves as a binder in the production of iron ore (taconite) pellets in the steelmaking industry. Both homemade and commercial clay figures, as well as ceramic glazes, contain small amounts of bentonite, which increases flexibility and reduces settling, making them easier to work with.
Purification
Bentonite is used to decolorize various animal oils, vegetables, and minerals. It is also used in refining vinegar, liquor, wine, beer, cider, and mead. Due to its ability to absorb large amounts of protein particles, bentonite is particularly useful in removing excess protein from white wines and promoting quicker purification of red wines.
Absorption
Bentonite is an effective absorbent in pet care products like cat litter, absorbing pet waste. It is also used to absorb oils and grease.
Carrier
Bentonite acts as an inert carrier for pesticides, fertilizers, and fire retardants. It helps ensure the uniform dispersion of the active agent and retains pesticides and fertilizers on plants.
Filler
Bentonite is used as a filler in a variety of products, including paint, adhesives, rubber, cosmetics, and soaps. It stabilizes and enhances these products.
Sealant
Sodium bentonite's property of expanding in water makes it an ideal sealant, acting as a self-sealing and low-permeability barrier. It is used to line the foundations of landfills to prevent leachate migration, isolate metal pollutants in groundwater, and secure underground disposal systems for spent nuclear fuel.
Catalyst
High-quality calcium bentonite is used as a catalyst in breaking down heavy petroleum fractions by treating them with acid.
Medical
Bentonite is a base for many dermatologic formulations. Bentonite desiccants are widely used to protect diagnostic, nutraceutical, and pharmaceutical products from moisture degradation, extending their shelf life. Bentonite complies with FDA regulations for use in food and drugs.
Farming in Thailand
Farmers in Northeast Thailand have adopted clay technology, using bentonite clay to reverse soil degradation and achieve significant economic returns. The use of bentonite clays has successfully increased yields of forage sorghum grown under rain-fed conditions and improved farmers' incomes.
Bentonite Slurry Walls
Bentonite slurry walls are used in construction to stabilize trenches that would otherwise collapse due to hydraulic pressure in the surrounding soil. Concrete and rebar structures can be assembled in a slurry-filled trench, and then concrete is poured into the structure. The heavier liquid concrete displaces the less dense bentonite slurry, which overflows and is then recycled for use in a new trench.
Pottery
A small amount of bentonite is often added to clay blends to increase plasticity, making it easier to form using techniques like throwing on a potter's wheel and hand building. Bentonite is also commonly found in ceramic glazes to prevent settling and improve the evenness of application on bisque-fired ware.
Emergency Use
Bentonite is used in industry and emergency response as a chemical absorbent and container sealant.
Types of Bentonite Powder at Keshavam International:
1.FOUNDRY GRADE BENTONITE POWDER
Almost all the cast iron, steel & malleable iron foundries are making use of Bentonite with cost-effective results. The Kutch region is well-known for high quality sodium bentonite used in casting industries. Even for consistent mould-making, Kutch Bentonite is potently used. Our Bentonite powder is foundry-grade, and it gives a proper ability to flow, along with compact potential and thermal stability for the manufacturer of good quality castings.
We maintain the below parameters that help us make top-grade castings:
We maintain the below parameters that help us make top-grade castings:
- - High gelling time that provides enhanced strength in less mulling time
- - Maintaining pH
- - Active clay maintenance
- - Quality strength on competent compatibility
FOUNDRY GRADE BENTONITE POWDER SPECIFICATION
| Properties | Protocol | Unit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Swelling Volume 2 gm/100ml | ASTM D 5890:1995 | ml | 32-34 |
| Methylene Blue Absorption Value | API spe 131:2004/ ISO 10416:2002 | mg/gm of clay | 400 - 450 |
| Liquid Limit | IS:12446-1988 | ml/100 gm | 600 - 700 |
| Gel Time 2.5gm/25 ml | IS:12446-1988 | second | Instant. |
| Gelling Index | IS:12446-1988 | ml | 85-90 |
| Moisture Content % by weight | API Spec. 13A:2004/ ISO 13500: 1998 | % | 10.0 - 12.0 |
| PH Value 2% slurry | IS:6186-1986 | pH | 9.5 - 9.9 |
| Green Compression Strength Bentonite: Water: 10:4 55-60 A.F.S Sand | IS:12446-1988 | psi | 12.5 |
| Wet Tensile Strength | IS:12446-1988 | N/cm2 | 0.16-0.20 |
| Dry Mesh % Passing 200 B.S.S | IS:6186-1986 | % | 85 Minimum |
2.DRILLING GRADE BENTONITE POWDER
Bentonite is useful as a mud element for oil and water well drilling. Its major role is to close the borehole walls, eliminate drill cuttings, and grease the cutting head. The particular higher mud yield consequently uses less quantity of Bentonite for the same usual mud. This leads to a lesser need of Bentonite in this process.
- - Preserves thixotropic properties when it comes in contact with brine and high temperature during deep drilling
- - Provides excellent barrel yield
- - Withstands formation pressure
API 13A SECTION – 4 GRADE BENTONITE POWDER SPECIFICATION
| Properties | Protocol | Unit | REQUIRED | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viscometer Dial Reading at 600 rpm | API Spec. 13A:2004/ ISO 13500: 1998 | r/min | 30 | 34 |
| Yield Point / Plastic Viscosity Ratio | API Spec. 13A:2004/ ISO 13500: 1998 | - | 3 Max | 2.85 |
| Filtrate Volume | API Spec. 13A:2004/ ISO 13500: 1998 | ML | 15 Max | 14.4 |
| Moisture Content | API Spec. 13A:2004/ ISO 13500: 1998 | % By weight | 10.0 max. | 10 |
| Dry Screen Analysis (Residue Greater than 75 Microns) % | API Spec. 13A:2004/ ISO 13500: 1998 | % By weight | 4.0 max. | 3.0 - 4.0 |
Container Capacity of Bentonite Powder:
| Type of Container | Quantity | Packing |
|---|---|---|
| 20’ FCL | 28 MT | 50 Kg Packing Jumbo Packing as Per Client Requirement |
| 40’ FCL | ------ | ----- |
