Abstract
fficiency of bentonite clay is usually dependent on its properties, especially moisture content and bulk density. The effects of activation on moisture content and bulk density of locally-sourced bentonite samples in Nigeria was investigated in this study. Locally-sourced bentonite was prepared and activated using standard alkaline and acid procedures. The physical characterization of the bentonite clay was determined using standard ASTM methods for apparent density, and moisture content. Obtained results showed that the moisture content of the activated bentonites varied significantly depending on the activation method. Alkali-activated bentonites exhibited significantly lower moisture content (0.3867% - 0.545%) compared to acid-activated bentonites (6.9683%). The control samples, raw bentonite and fuller's earth, had intermediate moisture contents (0.61% - 0.62%). Hence, increasing the concentration of activating chemicals generally led to a slight increase in moisture content, with the most pronounced effect observed at the 0.1M concentration. In addition, the concentration of activating chemicals had a moderate effect on bulk density, with higher concentrations leading to slightly lower densities, with the most pronounced effect observed at the 0.1M concentration. Thus, the activation process significantly influenced the bulk density of the bentonites. Specifically, acid-activated bentonites (HCl, H2SO4) exhibited lower bulk densities (0.8433 g/cm³ - 0.9492 g/cm³) compared to alkali-activated bentonites (NaOH, KOH) and raw bentonite (1.000 g/cm³), while acetic acid and oxalic acid activated bentonites displayed intermediate values (0.9592 g/cm³ - 1.095 g/cm³). The above observations are recommended for use in the diverse industrial applications of bentonite clay, especially adsorption purposes.
Published Version
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