INFLUENCE OF DEFLOCCULANT IN THE GRANULOMETRIC DISTRIBUTION OF BENTONITE

Reference	Presenter	Authors (Institution)	Abstract
16-027	Bruna Michele Arruda de Brito Buriti	Buriti, B.M.(Universidade Federal de Campina Grande); Araújo, M.E.(Universidade Federal de Campina Grande); Cartaxo, J.M.(Universidade Federal de Campina Grande); Neves, G.A.(Universidade Federal de Campina Grande);	Due to the high surface energies of the ceramic powders, when in liquid medium, the forces act in the direction of the destabilization of the suspensions by the formation of agglomerates. In order to eliminate these effects, substances are used that seek to neutralize this reactivity between the particles, which are called deflocculants. The efficiency of the deflocculants is investigated through deflocculation curves, which determine the least amount of deflocculant required to drive the suspensions to their lowest apparent viscosity values. The presence of accessory minerals restricts the industrial use of clays, and a study is necessary to reduce these contaminants. Thus, this work aims to investigate the influence of the concentration and type of deflocculant on the physical property of the clays. Bentonite clay was characterized physically, chemically and mineralogically by the following techniques: Granulometric Analysis by Laser Diffraction, X-Ray Diffraction, Chemical Analysis by X-Ray Fluorescence, Thermal Analysis and Cation Exchange Capacity. Deflocculation curves were obtained to be later confirmed by the laser granulometric analysis, and thus to conclude the best defloculant for clay dispersion. The clay was dispersed at the concentration of 4% with sodium silicate, sodium hexametaphosphate and sodium carbonate, individually, in order to obtain their respective deflocculation curves. The results evidenced that the sample of the clay studied can be called bentonite and that it presented a certain degree of contamination by accessory minerals. It was concluded that the best deflocculant for the clay studied was sodium hexametaphosphate, as it presented a higher percentage of accumulated volume of particles with a diameter of less than 2 ?m and a smaller average diameter.
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