Bentonite
Bentonite
Bentonite (/bɛnˈtoʊ.naɪt/) is a type of absorbent clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite. It has numerous industrial and health applications due to its unique properties.
Etymology
The term "Bentonite" was first used by Wilbur C. Knight in 1898 after the Cretaceous Benton Shale near Rock River, Wyoming.
Description
Bentonite is a clay generated frequently from the alteration of volcanic ash, consisting predominantly of smectite minerals, usually montmorillonite. Other smectite group minerals include hectorite, saponite, beidelite and nontronite. Smectites are clay minerals, i.e., they consist of individual crystallites the majority of which are <2μm in largest dimension.
Uses
Bentonite has been widely used as a binder in the iron and steel industry. The property of swelling also makes sodium bentonite useful as a sealant, since it provides a self-sealing, low permeability barrier. It is used to line the base of landfills, for example.
In addition, Bentonite is used in a variety of health applications including in medical algorithms and as a digestive aid.
Related Terms
- Montmorillonite: A very soft phyllosilicate group of minerals that typically form in microscopic crystals, forming a clay. It is named after Montmorillon in France.
- Binder (material): A substance that holds or draws other materials together to form a cohesive whole mechanically, chemically, by adhesion or cohesion.
- Smectite: A group of soft, earthy, usually white clay minerals, produced by the chemical weathering of igneous, sedimentary, and low-grade metamorphic rocks.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Bentonite
- Wikipedia's article - Bentonite
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