Method of making an absorbent material

Abstract

An animal litter composition that includes geopolymerized ash particulates having a network of repeating aluminum-silicon units is described herein. Generally, the animal litter is made from a quantity of a pozzolanic ash mixed with an alkaline activator to initiate a geopolymerization reaction that forms geopolymerized ash. This geopolymerization reaction may occur within a pelletizer. After the geopolymerized ash is formed, it may be dried and sieved to a desired size. These geopolymerized ash particulates may be used to make a non-clumping or clumping animal litter or other absorbing material. Aluminum sulfate, clinoptilolite, silica gel, sodium alginate and mineral oil may be added as additional ingredients.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making an absorbent material, comprising
 providing a quantity of pozzolanic ash;   providing a quantity of an alkaline activator and a quantity of water;   mixing the quantity of pozzolanic ash with the quantity of an alkaline activator to initiate a geopolymerization reaction and form a quantity of an agglomerated mixture, wherein the agglomerated mixture comprises geopolymerized ash; and   collecting the agglomerated mixture.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising drying the agglomerated mixture. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein mixing the quantity of pozzolanic ash with the quantity of an alkaline activator occurs within a pelletizer. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 3 , further comprising sizing the agglomerated mixture such that the agglomerated mixture has a sieve size that is between about a 80 sieve and a −12 sieve. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 3 , wherein the agglomerated mixture has a sieve size that is between about a 50 sieve and a −6 sieve. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the agglomerated mixture comprises a slurry. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 6 , wherein collecting the agglomerated mixture comprises drying the slurry and crushing it into a desired size. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of an alkaline activator is pre-mixed with water and then mixed with the quantity of pozzolanic ash. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the quantity of pozzolanic ash is dry blended with the quantity of an alkaline activator, wherein water is added after the dry blending has occurred. 
     
     
         10 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein the absorbent material comprises an animal litter. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising adding additional ingredients to the agglomerated mixture, wherein the additional ingredients comprise one or more of the following:
 a pH adjuster;   a zeolite;   a silica gel;   a clumping agent; and   a dedusting agent.   
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the zeolite is a naturally-occurring zeolite. 
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein the absorbent material comprises an oil absorbing material. 
     
     
         14 . A method of making an absorbent material, comprising
 providing a quantity of pozzolanic ash;   providing a quantity of an alkaline activator;   mixing, within a pelletizer, the quantity of pozzolanic ash with the quantity of an alkaline activator, wherein the mixing initiates a geopolymerization reaction and forms a quantity of an agglomerated mixture, wherein the agglomerated mixture comprises geopolymerized ash.   
     
     
         15 . A method as in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of drying the agglomerated mixture. 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising sizing the agglomerated mixture such that the agglomerated mixture has a sieve size that is between about a 50 sieve and a −6 sieve, wherein the sizing occurs after the agglomerated mixture has been dried. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , further comprising mixing additional ingredients to the agglomerated mixture, wherein the mixing of additional ingredients occurs after the agglomerated mixture has been sized, wherein the additional ingredients comprise one or more of the following:
 a quantity of aluminum sulfate;   a quantity of clinoptilolite;   a quantity of silica gel;   a quantity of sodium alginate; and   a quantity of mineral oil or a surfactant.