Bentonite applications: where the material is used
Few minerals have as many fields of application as bentonite. Thanks to its properties, bentonite is used in many areas of the economy, in the perfume and textile industries, and also in oil refining. First, let us look at what this material is.
What is bentonite?
Bentonite is a cream-colored clay substance. It is a mineral of natural origin. The chemical composition of bentonite contains elements such as calcium and sodium in different amounts. This mineral has several important properties that explain its popularity.
Properties of bentonite
When bentonite interacts with liquid, it swells or forms a gel if there is not enough space for swelling. Depending on the amount of chemical substances in bentonite, it is divided into two types: sodium and calcium. Sodium bentonite swells faster than calcium bentonite. In addition, it is chemically resistant, safe, and not too expensive. All this makes bentonite a convenient material for use in different areas of human activity.
Where and how is bentonite used?
As mentioned above, bentonite is used in many completely different industries. Let us look in more detail at the main fields and areas of bentonite application.
- In construction, bentonite is used for waterproofing building foundations, as a clay slurry in diaphragm wall construction, and in tunnel construction under difficult conditions such as unstable soils and groundwater pressure.
- Bentonite costs less than starch, which is used in sizing cotton fabrics. Therefore, bentonite has become a successful substitute for starch in the textile industry.
- The cosmetics industry also uses bentonite. This mineral can be found in many lipsticks, creams and masks, lotions, eye shadows and other skin-care products.
- Bentonite is also used in household chemicals. It is often used as a raw material for the production of soap, detergents and cleaning agents, various pastes, suspensions and corrosion-resistant coatings. These coatings protect different vehicles from corrosion processes.
- In agriculture, bentonite is used to improve soil fertility. In addition, because of its lower cost and useful properties, bentonite can be an alternative to expensive feed additives for animals.
- Bentonite is actively used in the food industry for clarifying wine materials and other fruit drinks, and also as a food additive that prevents products from caking.
- Even the oil refining industry considers bentonite a useful material. It helps clean petroleum products from various impurities, including nitrogen and sulfur compounds.
- In mechanical engineering, bentonite is used to create molding mixtures for casting, while in metallurgy it acts as a binder in many processes.
- In medicine, this substance is used for treating gynecological diseases, as well as diseases related to the digestive and nervous systems. In addition, bentonite is known to help remove heavy metals from the body.
The valuable properties of bentonite cannot be ignored, and its safety, versatility and low cost make it possible to use bentonite in different fields and even replace more expensive materials with it.