Granulation of Natural Zeolite Powder Using Portland Cement

Enormous amounts of zeolite by-products as a fine powder have been produced while manufacturing commercial zeolite products. Granulation of the zeolite by-products is necessary in order for them to be recycled as soil conditioners or absorbents for various environmental contaminants due to the limitations inherent from their physical properties. We granulated the zeolite powders using Portland cement as a cementing agent and characterized the physical and chemical properties of the granulated zeolite product. The experimental natural zeolite had a Si/Al ratio of 4.8 and CEC of 68.1 cmolc kg -1 .T he X-ray diffractometry (XRD) revealed that clinoptilolite and mordenite were the major minerals of natural zeolite. Smectite, feldspar and quartz also existed as secondary minerals. Optimum conditions of granulated zeolite production occurred when natural zeolite was mixed with Portland cement at a 4:1 ratio and granulated using the extruder, left to harden for one month at 25°C and treated at 400°C for 3 hours. The wide spectra of XRD revealed that the granulated zeolite had amorphous oxide minerals. The alkali- or thermal-treated natural zeolite exhibited pH-dependent charge properties. The major minerals of the granulated zeolite were clinoptilolite, mordenite and tobermorite. The buffering capacity and charge density of the granulated zeolite were greater than those of natural zeolite.