Lets learn about
Bentonite Clay
Xanthan Gum
Titanium Dioxide
Bentonite Clay
was first found in about 1890 near Fort Benton, Montana.
It is derived volcanic ash.
It consist of smectite minerals, usually montmorillonite
Montmorillonite is named after a deposit at Montmorillon, in Southern France.
Other smectite group minerals include hectorite, saponite, beidelite and nontronite.
The presence or not of these minerals affect the value of the clay and of course what it can be used for.
From Where
high-grade natural sodium bentonite is found in western United States in an area between the Black Hills of South Dakota and the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming
The Tokat Resadiye region of Turkey.
Mixed sodium/calcium bentonite is mined in
Greece, Australia, India, Russia, and Ukraine.
calcium bentonite
U.S. Mississippi and Alabama.[2] Other major locations producing calcium bentonite include New Zealand, Germany, Greece, Turkey, India, and China.
Process
Bentonite deposits are usually extracted from quarries.
Extracted bentonite is solid.
It is crushed and, “if necessary, activated with the addition of soda ash (Na2CO3). Soda ash is also known as washing soda. You can read more about that here.
The crushed material is dried till the moisture content is around 15%
Depending on what it is going to be used for the bentonite may be
sieved resulting in granulesor
milled into powder
purified by removing the associated gangue minerals, or
treated with acids to produce acid-activated bentonite (bleaching earths),
treated with organics to produce organoclays.
Fun Facts
In 2011, the U.S. was the top producer of bentonite, with almost one-third world share, followed by China and Greece
Uses
Bentonite presents strong colloidal properties and its volume increases several times when coming into contact with water, creating a gelatinous and viscous fluid. The special properties of bentonite (hydration, swelling, water absorption, viscosity, thixotropy) make it a valuable material for a wide range of uses and applications.
Toothpowder
“The real benefit of bentonite clay is that it is abrasive enough to remove the plaque but not so much so that it will do damage to your enamel,” Graves says. Like charcoal, it may also help raise the pH of your mouth, making it more challenging for bacteria to grow.” Read the article HERE
It can also be used in face masks
Sources
Xanthan Gum
Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide with many industrial uses, including as a common food additive. It is an effective thickening agent and stabilizer to prevent ingredients from separating. It can be produced from simple sugars using a fermentation process, and derives its name from the species of bacteria used, Xanthomonas campestris.
Wikipedia
It can be used in lieu of gelatine. Measure out half the amount of xanthan gum. ie for i 2 tbsp. of gelatin, use 1 tbsp. of xanthan gum. For baked products, add around 1 tsp. for every cup of flour added.
Titanium Dioxide
also known as titanium(IV) oxide or titania, is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium, chemical formula TiO ₂.
When used as a pigment, it is called titanium white, Pigment White 6, or CI 77891.
Wikipedia
Formula: TiO2
: 4.23 g/cm³
Molar mass: 79.866 g/mol
Melting point: 1,843 °C
Density: 4.23
IUPAC ID: Titanium dioxide, Titanium(IV) oxide
It can be used in Sun Screens, Moisturisers, Powdered Make-up, Lip and Baby products and virtually any Skin Treatment product. Aromantic’s Microfine Titanium Dioxide is of the Rutile modification.
Titanium Dioxide, water soluble. This product is perfect for lightening colors or making a beautiful snowy white bar of soap. When used in CP to make white soap add to your base oils while heating and mix well prior to adding the lye water solution. Approved for use in cosmetics, including lip products. This material is also used in sunscreens.
Aromantic
I am currently experimenting with Titanium Dioxide
Microfine Titanium Dioxide
“Microfine Titanium Dioxide is accepted as a safe Sun Barrier all around the world. This is because it is inorganic and has a record of having no adverse reactions to it. This makes it ideal for products used on a daily basis.
It can be used in Sun Screens, Moisturisers, Powdered Make-up, Lip and Baby products and virtually any Skin Treatment product.
Adding 5% Microfine Titanium Dioxide to a product gives it a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of approximately 10 and protects against 90% UVA/UVB and UVC radiation. Adding 10% gives it a SPF of 15-20.
You can read more about this on the www.aromantic.co.uk website
N.B.
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