Bleaching Clay (Fuller's Earth)
Fuller's Earth - A type of Clay which is highly adsorptive and consists mainly pf hydrated aluminium silicates. It is used as a bleaching agent, and as an adsorbent in decolorizing and refining oils and fats. Fuller's earth is a mineral substance characterized by the property of absorbing basic colors and removing them from oils. It is composed mainly of alumina, silica, iron oxides, lime, magnesia, and water, in extremely variable proportions and is generally classified as a sedimentary clay. In color it may be whitish, buff, brown, green, olive, or blue. It is semiplastic or nonplastic and may or may not disintegrate easily in water. It was originally used in the fulling of wool to remove oil and grease but is now used chiefly in bleaching and clarifying petroleum and secondarily in refining edible oils. Fuller's earth is mined in many parts of the United States, Georgia and Florida, Germany and India being the leading producers and in England near Reigate, Nutfield, and Bath. Before it can be used, it has to be crushed and dried. In general Bleaching Earth is a decolourising agent which will change the tint of any coloured oil to a lighter shade by changing the basic colour units in oil, without altering the chemical properties of the oil. Bleaching Earths are special clays activated by physical or chemical processes. Natural clays are found in special strata and are subjected to various processes such as desegregation in water, treatment by sulphuric acid solutions, filtration, baking, grinding, etc. Efficiency of bleaching earth depends on selecting the right grade and proper blends of the basic raw material, Bentonite obtained from various mines. We are the leading supplier of various Fuller's Earth produced in India. Having over three decades of expertise in catering to the vast petroleum and edible oil refiners with a commitment to manufacture highly effective made to order products as per the consumer needs, based on our technical know-how and continuous research and development.
Propertiers E-LUBE / E-Bleach E-TWIN E-TWIN SUPER E-10 E-ABE E-Active Base
Uses / Industry / Applications LUBE / EDIBLE LUBE / EDIBLE LUBE / EDIBLE LUBE / EDIBLE LUBE / EDIBLE / WAX LUBE / EDIBLE / WAX
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Apparent Bulk Density [g/cc] 0.80 0.44 0.99 0.86 0.80 0.80
Free Moisture (2h, 110 Deg C) [%] 9 to 12 8 to 12 10 to 12 10 to 12 7 to 10 9 to 12
Loss on Ignition (Pre dried, 2h, 1.000 Deg C) [%] 5 to 7 6 to 8 6 to 8 6 to 8 5 to 7 5 to 7
PH (10% Suspension, Filtered) 7 to 7.3 5 to 5.3 5 to 5.3 7.8 to 8.5 5.8 to 6.3 7.3 to 7.5
Acidity [Mg KOH/g] < 0.1 < 0.1 < 1 NIL < 0.01 < 0.001
Surface Area (B.E.T.) [m2/g] 225 200 210 164 280 235
Micro Pore Volume 0-80 nm [ml/g] 0.41 0.38 0.46 0.38 0.41 0.41
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
Silicium Oxide 58.04% 58.04% 64% 58.04% 62.34% 62.34%
Aluminium Oxide 15.81% 15.81% 16% 15.81% 16.81% 16.81%
Iron (III) Oxide 3.10% 3.10% 1.20% 3.10% 5.19% 5.19%
Magnesium Oxide 4.21% 4.21% 2.10% 4.21% 4.24% 4.24%
Calcium Oxide 1.19% 1.19% 1.20% 1.19% 2.15% 2.15%
Sodium Oxide 1.20% 1.20% 0.00% 1.20% 1.20% 1.20%
Loss on Ignition - - 7.90% - 7.45% 7.45%
Others 16.45% 16.45% 7.60% 16.45% 0.62% 0.62%
Total 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%
PARTICLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION
100 1% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1%
200 16% 12% 9% 16% 10% 10%
240 26% 29% 21% 26% 31% 31%
300 28% 28% 18% 28% 29% 29%
350 12% 12% 12% 12% 14% 14%
-350 17% 17% 38% 17% 15% 15%
Summary of conventional / traditional uses of fuller's earth
  • Since over a century and till date the major use of Fuller's Earth is for decolorizing animal, vegetable and petroleum oils, fats, greases, waxes and solvents.
  • There are even accounts of Fuller's Earth being used to decolorize beer.
  • Granular Fuller's Earth is used to improve UV spectrometer readings and PNC values of petroleum base oil distillates.
  • Cat litter.
  • Cosmetic creams and face packs.
  • Pharmaceuticals.
  • Agricultural pesticide carriers.
  • Manufacture of various catalysts used in the petroleum and chemical industries.
 
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