Bentonite clay dessicant

[piercho]

I can get fairly large amounts of Sud-Chemie Desi Pak (http://www.sud-chemie.com/scmcms/web/content.jsp?nodeId=6264&lang=en) desiccant bags filled with a Bentonite Clay. The bags are Tyvek, and the bag gives reactivation values. The idea is to use this Bentonite clay desiccant in an initial large dehumidification chamber, followed by a small dehumidification chamber filled with silica gel for visual indication. Unfortunately, I can't find a MSDS or detailed product use guide for this material. It is a MIL-D-3464 specification. I have a couple of question regarding reactivation and handling.

1st question. The bag is marked that reactivation is 246-250 for 16 hours. I'm assuming that is degrees F?
2nd question. The Tyvek contains any particles smaller than 5 microns. I'd like to take this stuff out of the bags and use it on trays. I'll filter the output to 5 micron or better. Do you know of any precautions I should take with this Bentonite clay if I take it out of the bags?

[piercho]

I guess I should metion that the clay is largish (.5 cm or so), irregular pellets, about the size and shape of EVC or AES GAC.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

1st question. The bag is marked that reactivation is 246-250 for 16 hours. I'm assuming that is degrees F?

This web site would suggest that is deg F:

http://home.flash.net/~wamco1nm/art1.html

2nd question. The Tyvek contains any particles smaller than 5 microns. I'd like to take this stuff out of the bags and use it on trays. I'll filter the output to 5 micron or better. Do you know of any precautions I should take with this Bentonite clay if I take it out of the bags?

What kind of precautions?

[piercho]

Precautions for handling like touching the material or breathing dust if the material is removed from the Tyvek bag. There are not any precautions printed on the bag about the material.
The material does not seem very dusty or friable.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry, I do not know what concerns there might be from handling the powder.

[Boomer]

Randy

We use the stuff by the rail car full :D It is used as binder to make taconite, iron ore pellets.


Bentonite
http://www.mineralszone.com/minerals/bentonite.html

MSDS
http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Bentonite-9927093

[piercho]

Thanks to both Randy and Boomer for the information. The MSDS and the instructions for conventional oven reactivation are especially useful. That is all I need, thanks.