What is bentonite?
Bentonite is a swelling clay composed mainly of montmorillonite. This material is usually formed from the weathering of volcanic ash in seawater. This process turns the volcanic glass in the ash into clay minerals and sandwiched between other types of rocks.
Bentonite is known for its ability to absorb and retain large amounts of water. In fact, bentonite can absorb up to 12 times its weight in water. This property makes this material useful for a variety of applications such as drilling mud, sealants, and cat litter.
You can see an example of bentonite analysis below:
Bentonite powder is available in white, gray, cream and brown colors. Some features of bentonite:
- Moisture absorbent: this material can absorb water up to several times its weight. This property makes it suitable for applications such as oil and gas well drilling, water and wastewater treatment, and detergent production.
- • Swellability: this material swells in contact with water and can fill the empty space. This property is used for applications such as sealing dams and canals, and producing refractory materials
- Ion exchange capability: this material can absorb and release different ions. This property is used for applications such as soil and water purification, and the production of chemical fertilizers.
Bentonite is also a very versatile mineral. In a wide range of products including:
- Drilling mud: this material is used as drilling mud in oil and gas wells. This material helps smooth drilling operations, cools the drill bit, and prevents the well wall from collapsing.
- Sealant: this material can be used to seal cracks and holes in concrete, asphalt and other materials. • Cat Litter: this material absorbs moisture and controls odor, making it a popular choice for cat litter.
- Baby powder: this material can be used to help absorb moisture and prevent diaper rash.
- Cosmetics: Bentonite can be used as a thickening and stabilizing agent in cosmetics.
- Medicines: this material can be used as an antacid and laxative agent in medicines.
You can see more products in this link.