Production and Characterization of Nanobentonite from Sodium Bentonite with Mechanical Grinding

Abstract

Clays can be classified in many ways because of various factors such as the complexity of the clay minerals, foreign substances they contain, and the place and characteristics of their formation. According to mineralogical properties, clays are classified as kaolin, smectite, mica, chlorite, illite, and attapulgite groups. Bentonite is an impure clay type which is a member of the smectite group and contains dense montmorillonite minerals. Bentonite is named based on the predominant elements such as sodium (Na), calcium (Ca). Bentonite is used in many industries. The main industries that utilize bentonite are drilling industry, painting, cement, construction, casting, oil refining operations, and ceramics. The present study investigated the process of reducing bentonite to nano size, characterization of the final product, and the production method. The sodium bentonite sample which is obtained from Çankırı-Turkey was used in the experiments. The sample was first ground and then purified by gravity sieving method to remove heavy metal and organic compounds. After the grinding process, particle size of bentonite decreased to 0.039µm (39nm). The finished product was named as Nanobentonite. Physical and chemical analyses were done for sodium bentonite and nanobentonite and their characterizations were determined. In addition, the methods used include suitable production methods for producing nanobentonite. © by PSP