Swell Gel (Bentonite)

(Sodium Clay Mineral Montmorillonite)

Swell Gel is composed of the clay mineral montmorillonite formed by the alternation in situ of volcanic ash. The special properties of bentonite (hydration, swelling, water absorption, viscosity, thixotropy) make it a valuable material for a wide range of uses and applications.

Bentonite mostly used in drilling mud for oil and gas wells and for geotehnical and environmental investigations. Bentonite is useful as a sealant, especially targeted for the sealing of subsurface disposal systems for spent nuclear fuel and for quarantining metal pollutants of groundwater. Similar uses include making slurry walls, waterproofing of below-grade walls and forming other impermeable barriers (e.g. to plug old wells or as a liner in the base of landfills to prevent migration of leachate into the soil.)

Swell Gel Swelling properties

Sodium bentonite water absorption properties result in a swelling volume from 10 to 15 times its dried bulk. Only sodium bentonite exhibits such high swelling characteristis. Swell Gel presents strong colloidal properties and its volume increases several times when coming into contact with water, creating a gelatinous and viscous fluid.


Welling Drilling	Construction Works	Foundry Industry	Seepage Control

Swell Gel (Bentonite) applications:

Construction and Civil Engineering: Bentonite in civil engineering applications is used traditionally as a thixotropic, support and lubricant agent in diaphragm walls and foundations, in tunnelling, in horizontal directional drilling and pipe jacking. ?Bentonite, due to its viscosity and plasticity, also is used in Portland cement and mortars.

Drilling: Another conventional use of bentonite is as a mud constituent for oil and water well drilling. Its roles are mainly to seal the borehole walls, to remove drill cuttings and to lubricate the cutting head.

Foundry: Bentonite is used as a bonding material in the preparation of molding sand for the production of iron, steel and non-ferrous casting. The unique properties of bentonite yield green sand moulds with good flowability, compactability and thermal stability for the production of high quality castings.

Seepage Control: Bentonite's adsorption/absorption properties are very useful for wastewater purification. Common environmental directives recommend low permeability soils, which naturally should contain bentonite, as a sealing material in the construction and rehabilitation of landfills to ensure the protection of groundwater from the pollutants. Bentonite is the active protective layer of geosynthetic clay liners.

Pelletizing: Bentonite is used as a binding agent in the production of iron ore pellets. Through this process, iron ore fines are converted into spherical pellets, suitable as feed material in blast furnaces for pig iron production, or in the production of direct reduction iron (DRI).

Detergents: Laundry detergents and liquid hand cleansers/soaps rely on the inclusion of bentonite, in order to remove the impurities in solvents and to soften the fabrics.

Paints, Dyes and Polishes: Due to its thixotropic properties, bentonite and organoclays function as a thickening and/or suspension agent in varnishes, and in water and solvent paints.? Its adsorption properties are appreciated for the finishing of indigo dying cloth, and in dyes (lacquers for paints & wallpapers).

Paper: Bentonite is crucial to paper making, where it is used in pitch control, i.e. absorption of wood resins that tend to obstruct the machines and to improve the efficiency of conversion of pulp into paper as well as to improve the quality of the paper.? Bentonite also offers useful de-inking properties for paper recycling. In addition, acid-activated bentonite is used as the active component in the manufacture of carbonless copy paper.

Prestige Clients / Consultants using 'AMERASIA' Swell Gel:

MTRC
Park Avenue
Gammon Construction Ltd
Decontamination of old Kai Tak Airport
Gillies Ave South / Buikeley Street, Hung Hom
Salisbury Garden Subway no.3
Haven of Hope Hospital
Ice House Street, Central
Wing Shing Caisson & Foundation Ltd
Luen Cheong Tai construction Co Ltd
Hong Kong Land & Marine Contractors Ltd
B & G Engineering Ltd
Kwong Key Construction & Engineering Ltd
Hong Kong Under Ground Engineering Ltd
Enpack (Hong Kong) Ltd
Kwun Tong To Stonecutter Island
Central, Western and Wanchai West Trunk Sewers
Shun Tin Works Area, Ngau Tau Kok