Magnesium oxide slag environment-friendly cat litter and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a magnesium oxide slag environment-friendly cat litter and a preparation method thereof. The magnesium oxide slag environment-friendly cat litter comprises 80-90 parts of magnesium oxide slag and 0.5-2.0 parts of an adhesive. 8-18 parts of a deodorant; 0.5 to 1.0 part of a bacteriostatic agent; the source of the magnesium oxide slag is waste slag neutralized by acid wastewater generated in a silica gel production process. The magnesium oxide slag in the waste water of the silica gel production line is converted into the cat litter with the performance similar to that of bentonite, the problem of waste slag treatment is solved, and meanwhile, a novel environment-friendly cat litter product is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of environmentally friendly cat litter preparation, and particularly relates to an environmentally friendly cat litter made from magnesium oxide slag and a preparation method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the cat litters on the market mainly include types such as bentonite cat litter, silica gel cat litter, and tofu cat litter. Traditional cat litters like bentonite cat litter are widely used due to their excellent clumping and water absorption properties. However, its raw material source is bentonite ore, which causes certain impacts on the environment during the mining process, and bentonite is a non-degradable material, making it difficult to recycle after use, thus presenting environmental problems.

[0003] Silica gel cat litter has good water absorption and deodorization effects. However, due to its high energy consumption and resource consumption during the production process, and its non-degradability after use, it also has environmental problems. Although tofu cat litter has good biodegradability, it still lags behind bentonite cat litter in terms of water absorption, clumping, and deodorization effects.

[0004] Therefore, the research and development of environmentally friendly cat litter has become the trend of current technological development. Using industrial waste residues or by-products as raw materials for cat litter can not only reduce the pressure of waste treatment, but also lower the production cost of cat litter and improve its environmental friendliness.

[0005] Magnesium oxide slag is a by-product generated during industrial production, mainly from the neutralization process of acidic wastewater in silica gel production. Usually, these slag are considered industrial waste and need to be treated before disposal. Traditional treatment methods often include landfill or low-value utilization, failing to fully utilize their potential value.

[0006] However, magnesium oxide slag, as a substance containing minerals such as magnesium oxide (MgO) and silicon dioxide (SiO2), has unique water absorption and clumping abilities. These characteristics endow it with great application potential in terms of water absorption and cat litter clumping. Therefore, using magnesium oxide slag as the main raw material for cat litter can not only improve the performance of cat litter but also realize the resource utilization of waste.

[0007] Water Absorption Principle and Influencing Factors of Magnesium Oxide Slag The water absorption performance of magnesium oxide slag mainly comes from its chemical reaction and physical adsorption, and the specific mechanism is as follows: Chemical water absorption (hydration reaction) Magnesium oxide (MgO) reacts with water to form magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2). The magnesium hydroxide crystals generated in this process can effectively absorb water and form clumps. The reaction formula is: MgO + H2O → Mg(OH)2; The water absorption ability of this reaction enables magnesium oxide slag to quickly absorb the urine of pets and form stable clumps, facilitating cleaning.

[0008] Physical water absorption 1. Pore adsorption: Magnesium oxide slag has a porous structure, which enables it to effectively adsorb water. The pores in magnesium oxide slag not only increase its surface area but also enhance its adsorption capacity for liquids.

[0009] 2. Surface adsorption: The surface of magnesium oxide slag particles can form an adsorption layer with water molecules, which further increases its water absorption capacity.

[0010] Deliquescence: Magnesium oxide slag contains salts (such as calcium chloride, etc.) that can absorb moisture, and these components can absorb moisture and further promote water adsorption. In an environment with higher humidity, magnesium oxide slag will further absorb moisture in the air, thereby enhancing its water absorption capacity.

[0011] Influencing factors of the water absorption performance of magnesium oxide slag The water absorption performance of magnesium oxide slag is affected by the following factors: Activity of magnesium oxide: Magnesium oxide with higher activity can react with water more quickly to produce magnesium hydroxide crystals, thereby improving water absorbency.

[0012] Particle size and porosity: The smaller the particle size of magnesium oxide slag and the more pores it has, the stronger its water absorption capacity.

[0013] Surface characteristics: The surface characteristics (such as hydrophilicity) of magnesium oxide slag also affect its contact and adsorption capacity with water.

[0014] The present invention overcomes the above defects. By using the magnesium oxide slag generated after the neutralization reaction of the wastewater in the silica gel production process, it can not only fully recycle waste but also improve the water absorption and agglomeration properties of cat litter, and improve the performance of traditional cat litter. At the same time, by adding auxiliary materials such as deodorants, binders, bacteriostatic agents, and pH indicators, the present invention further improves the deodorization ability, bacteriostatic effect, and use safety of cat litter, meeting the market demand for high-performance environmentally friendly cat litter. Summary of the invention

[0015] The purpose of the present invention is to rationally utilize the magnesium oxide waste residue in the silica gel wastewater treatment process and achieve the recycling of resources.

[0016] To achieve the above invention purpose, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: The present invention provides an environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesium oxide slag, which is characterized by including the following raw materials in parts by weight: A. 80 - 90 parts of magnesium oxide slag, and the magnesium oxide slag is derived from the magnesium oxide waste residue generated by the acid-base neutralization reaction in the industrial production process; B. 0.5 - 2.0 parts of binder; C. 8 - 18 parts of deodorant; D. Bacteriostat 0.5 - 1.0 parts; E. pH indicator 0.1 - 1.0 parts.

[0017] Preferably, the composition of the magnesia slag includes the following components by weight ratio: magnesia content 7% - 10%; silica content 15% - 20%; calcium oxide content 1.0% - 1.5%; sodium oxide content 1.0% - 1.5%.

[0018] Preferably, the binder is selected from one or more of starch, guar gum, water glass, xanthan gum, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, β - cyclodextrin, propylene glycol alginate, and sodium carboxymethyl starch.

[0019] Preferably, the binder includes sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and guar gum, which are compounded in a ratio of 1:1 - 1:3.

[0020] Preferably, the deodorant is selected from one or more of natural plant extracts (such as mint, citrus essential oil), bio - enzymes, silica gel, activated carbon, potassium permanganate, citrate, sodium percarbonate, and sodium metaphosphate.

[0021] Preferably, the bacteriostat is selected from one or more of natural plant extracts (such as wormwood, clove), silver ion bacteriostat, chitosan, and quaternary ammonium salt.

[0022] Preferably, the crushing particle size of the magnesia slag is 1 - 4 mm.

[0023] Preferably, the water absorption rate of the cat litter ≥ 150%, and the pH value is between 9 - 11.

[0024] A preparation method of an environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesia slag, characterized by comprising the following steps: (1) Drying: The collected magnesia slag is dried to make the moisture content less than 5%; (2) Grinding: The dried magnesia slag is ground in a grinding machine to make the particle size reach 1 - 4 mm; (3) Mixing: The magnesia slag, binder, deodorant, bacteriostat, and pH indicator are mixed evenly according to the ratio in claim 1; (4) Granulation: The mixed material is granulated by spray granulation, pan granulation or extrusion granulation to form cat litter particles; (5) Drying: The granulated cat litter particles are placed in a dryer for drying to make the final moisture content ≤ 5%; (6) Screening: The cat litter that does not meet the particle size requirements is screened out to obtain the finished product.

[0025] The present invention provides an environmentally friendly cat litter based on magnesium oxide slag, which has significant advantages in aspects such as resource recycling, water absorption and agglomeration performance, deodorization and antibacterial ability, and use safety. Compared with the prior art, it has the following technical effects: 1. Resource recycling and improved environmental friendliness The present invention uses the magnesium oxide slag generated from the acid-base neutralization reaction in the production of silica gel as the main component of the cat litter, replacing bentonite or silica gel particles in traditional cat litters, thereby realizing the high-value utilization of industrial waste residues, reducing solid waste emissions, and reducing environmental pollution.

[0026] This technology not only effectively solves the problem of treating magnesium oxide slag in the production of silica gel, but also expands its application in the field of pet supplies, meeting the requirements of sustainable development and circular economy.

[0027] 2. Strong water absorption and agglomeration ability, good use experience By optimizing the particle size range (1 - 4 mm) and composition control (7% - 10% magnesium oxide, 15% - 20% silicon dioxide) of the magnesium oxide slag, it exhibits excellent water absorption similar to bentonite cat litter, can quickly absorb pet urine, and prevent liquid leakage.

[0028] Adding adhesives (such as the compound of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and guar gum in a ratio of 1:1 - 1:3) enables the cat litter to quickly form stable agglomerates after absorbing liquid, facilitating cleaning, reducing residual debris at the same time, and enhancing the user experience.

[0029] Through experimental tests, the water absorption rate of this cat litter can reach more than 150%, with a short agglomeration time, high strength, and not easy to break, comparable to the performance of high-quality bentonite cat litter.

[0030] 3. High-efficiency deodorization, fresh air Traditional cat litters mainly rely on physical adsorption for deodorization, while the present invention improves the odor control ability through multiple deodorization mechanisms: Using physical adsorbents (activated carbon, silica gel) to strongly adsorb odor molecules such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide; Combining chemical degradation agents (potassium permanganate, citrate, sodium percarbonate) to oxidize or complex and sediment odor molecules, fundamentally reducing the odor source; Adding plant extracts (such as mint, citrus essential oil) to further mask odors and make the smell of the cat litter fresher during use.

[0031] Experimental results show that the ammonia removal rate of this cat litter is higher than that of traditional bentonite cat litter, can effectively reduce the odor generated by pet excrement, and improve the indoor air quality.

[0032] 4. Strong antibacterial ability, more guarantee for the health of cats Traditional cat litter is prone to bacterial growth, which can affect the health of pets. In the formula of this invention, bacteriostatic agents (silver ions, chitosan, quaternary ammonium salts, wormwood and clove extracts) are added to effectively inhibit bacterial growth and reduce bacterial transmission.

[0033] Through antibacterial experiment tests, the inhibition rate of this cat litter against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus is significantly better than that of ordinary cat litter. Long-term use can reduce health risks such as feline urinary tract infections.

[0034] 5. pH color change indication, intelligent monitoring of urine conditions This cat litter is specially added with pH indicators (phenolphthalein, methyl orange, bromothymol blue), which can produce color reactions according to the change of urine pH value, enabling users to intuitively judge the health status of cats.

[0035] For example, the pH value of healthy cat urine is usually between 6.0 and 6.5. When the urine pH value is too high or too low, the color of the cat litter will change, reminding the owner to pay attention to the health status of the cat in time and providing an early health monitoring function.

[0036] 6. Low dust, no harmful ingredients, safe and non-toxic This invention adopts high-efficiency granulation technology (spray granulation, pan granulation or extrusion granulation) to optimize the density of cat litter particles, significantly reduce dust problems during use, and improve respiratory health.

[0037] Food-grade adhesives and environmentally friendly deodorant and bacteriostatic ingredients are used, without chemical substances harmful to cats, ensuring safety during long-term use.

[0038] This invention provides an environmentally friendly, intelligent and high-performance cat litter product by means of the efficient recycling of magnesia slag, optimizing the water absorption and agglomeration ability, enhancing the deodorant and bacteriostatic effect, and adding the pH color change indication function. Compared with existing cat litters, this cat litter performs excellently in terms of environmental friendliness, water absorption and agglomeration, deodorization ability, bacteriostatic effect and health monitoring function, and has high market competitiveness. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0039] Figure 1 It is the process of treating acidic wastewater in a silica gel production line.

[0040] Figure 2 It is the preparation process of the cat litter of this invention. Detailed Embodiments

[0041] The following embodiments better illustrate the content of this invention. However, this invention is not limited to the following examples.

[0042] The adhesives, deodorants, bacteriostatic agents used in this invention are commercially available.

[0043] The binder can be any one of starch, edible guar gum, sodium silicate, xanthan gum, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, β-cyclodextrin, propylene glycol alginate, and sodium carboxymethyl starch; The deodorant is commercially available and can be any one of natural plant extracts, bioenzymes, and silica gel; The bacteriostatic agent is commercially available and can be any one of natural plant extracts and silver ion bacteriostatic agents.

[0044] Example 1

[0045] This example provides a preparation method of an environmentally friendly cat litter made from magnesium oxide slag, where the magnesium oxide slag is obtained from the neutralization of wastewater in a silica gel production line. The specific steps are as follows: Extraction and treatment of magnesium oxide slag Wastewater treatment: Introduce silica gel production wastewater with pH ≤ 3 into the neutralization tank; Neutralization process: Add excessive magnesium oxide (MgO) to the wastewater and control the pH value at 7.0 - 8.5 to form magnesium oxide precipitate; Solid-liquid separation: Use a plate and frame filter press for filtration, and the filter residue is the magnesium oxide slag; Drying treatment: 1. Temperature: 100 - 150 °C; 2. Time: 2 - 5 hours; 3. Objective: Reduce the moisture content to ≤ 5% and improve the storage stability of the magnesium oxide slag; Grinding treatment: 1. Control the particle size at 1 - 4 mm to ensure uniform and stable particles after the cat litter is formed.

[0046] Cat litter preparation Mixing formula: 1. 90 parts of magnesium oxide slag; 2. 0.5 part of binder (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose + guar gum 1:1 compound); 3. 8.5 parts of deodorant (potassium permanganate + activated carbon); 4. 1.0 part of bacteriostatic agent (silver ion + chitosan); 5. 0.2 part of pH indicator (bromothymol blue).

[0047] Granulation method: 1. Spray granulation method: 1. Spray pressure: 0.2 - 0.5 MPa; 2. Atomized particle diameter: 50 - 300 μm.

[0048] Drying: 1. After granulation, place it in a dryer at a temperature of 80 - 120 °C for a drying time of 3 - 6 hours.

[0049] Screening: 1. Remove the particles that do not meet the particle size standard, and finally obtain the environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesium oxide slag.

[0050] Example 2 Prepare environmentally friendly cat litter using the recycled magnesium oxide slag, including the following preparation steps: (1) Dry the collected magnesium oxide slag so that the moisture content is lower than 5%.

[0051] (2) Grind the dried magnesium oxide slag in a pulverizer to reach 3 ± 1 mm.

[0052] (3) Mix 90 parts of magnesium oxide slag, 1.0 part of binder, 8 parts of deodorant, and 1.0 part of bacteriostatic agent, and pelletize the mixed material to form the shape of cat litter.

[0053] (4) After pelletizing, dry and screen to remove the particles that do not meet the specifications, and obtain the finished product of environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesium oxide slag.

[0054] Example 3 This example optimizes the granulation method on the basis of Example 1 to improve the uniformity and agglomeration ability of the cat litter particles.

[0055] Mixing formula: 1. 85 parts of magnesium oxide slag; 2. 1.0 part of binder (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose + guar gum 1:2 compound); 3. 13 parts of deodorant (citrate + activated carbon); 4. 1.0 part of bacteriostatic agent (natural plant extract + silver ion); 5. 0.3 part of pH indicator (methyl orange).

[0056] Granulation method: 1. Disk granulation method: 1. Disk inclination angle: 35~50°; 2. Rotation speed: 20~50 rpm; 3. Granulation time: 10~30 min; 4. Add 5~10 wt% of water to improve the particle forming rate.

[0057] Drying and screening: 1. After granulation, place it in a dryer at a temperature of 90~110°C and dry for 4 hours; 2. Screen to remove small particles and large unformed particles, and finally obtain a uniform cat litter product.

[0058] Example 4 This embodiment optimizes the moisture control on the basis of Embodiment 3 to improve the agglomeration and water absorption of the finished cat litter.

[0059] Mixing formula: 1. 85 parts of magnesium oxide slag; 2. 1.5 parts of binder (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose + xanthan gum, compounded in a ratio of 1:1); 3. 12.5 parts of deodorant (peppermint essential oil + potassium permanganate); 4. 1.0 part of bacteriostatic agent (chitosan + quaternary ammonium salt); 5. 0.3 part of pH indicator (bromothymol blue).

[0060] Granulation method: 1. Extrusion granulation method: 1. Granulation pressure: 0.1 - 0.5 MPa; 2. Granulation diameter: 1 - 5 mm; 3. Add 6 - 12 wt% of water to ensure dense and uniform particles.

[0061] Drying and screening: 1. After granulation, dry at a temperature of 80 - 120 °C for 4 hours; 2. Screen to remove particles with excessive dust or uneven particle size.

[0062] Embodiment 5

[0063] Prepare an environmentally friendly cat litter using the recycled magnesium oxide slag, including the following preparation steps: (1) Dry the collected magnesium oxide slag so that the moisture content is lower than 5%.

[0064] (2) Grind the dried magnesium oxide slag in a pulverizer to reach 2 ± 1 mm.

[0065] (3) Mix 80 parts of magnesium oxide slag, 1.5 parts of binder, 17.5 parts of deodorant, and 1.0 part of bacteriostatic agent, and form the mixture into balls to form the shape of cat litter.

[0066] (4) After ball forming, carry out drying and screening to remove particles that do not meet the specifications, and obtain the finished product of magnesium oxide slag environmentally friendly cat litter.

[0067] Embodiment 6

[0068] This embodiment optimizes the combination of deodorants on the basis of Embodiment 5 to improve the long - term deodorizing ability of the cat litter and ensure its consistency with the claims.

[0069] Mixing formula (matching Claim 1): 1. 80 parts of magnesium oxide slag (magnesium oxide waste residue from industrial acid - base neutralization reaction); 2. Binder: 2.0 parts (sodium carboxymethyl cellulose + propylene glycol alginate, compounded at a ratio of 1:1); 3. Deodorant: 17 parts (activated carbon + potassium permanganate + citrate, combined at a ratio of 5:5:7); 4. Bacteriostatic agent: 1.0 part (wormwood + cloves + silver ions); 5. pH indicator: 0.4 part (phenolphthalein).

[0070] Granulation method (matching claim 9): 1. Spray granulation method is adopted: 1. Spray pressure: 0.3 - 0.5 MPa; 2. The granulation humidity is controlled at 8 - 12 wt% to ensure dense forming of the granules.

[0071] Drying and screening (matching claim 10): 1. After granulation, dry at a temperature of 90 - 120 °C for 3 - 5 hours; 2. Screen out the non - standard particles to obtain the final cat litter product.

[0072] Test results 1. The filter residue contains elements such as calcium, magnesium, iron, silicon, etc. The components in the magnesium oxide slag are detected through multiple samplings, and the component content ranges are shown in Table 1.

[0073] Table 1: Component content of magnesium oxide slag

[0074] Judging from Table 1, the components of the extracted magnesium oxide slag are close to bentonite, and the finished product can be regarded as a kind of bentonite - like cat litter.

[0075] 2. According to JC / T 2055 - 2020 "Granular Bentonite for Pet Washers", the performance of the finished product obtained in the examples is detected, and the test results are shown in Table 2.

[0076] Table 2: Performance test results of the examples

[0077] 3. The performance comparison between the present invention and commercially available imported bentonite cat litter and domestic bentonite cat litter is shown in Table 3.

[0078] Table 3: Performance comparison results

[0079] Table 3 shows that the finished cat litter of the present invention utilizes the water absorption and adhesion similar to those of bentonite in magnesium oxide slag. By adding components such as deodorants, adhesives, and bacteriostatic agents, it achieves comprehensive performance comparable to that of commercially available bentonite cat litter. The finished product has strong water absorption, fast clumping time, high clumping strength, less dust, and has a certain bacteriostatic effect. The present invention not only solves the problem of waste residue treatment in the production process of silica gel, but also provides an environmentally friendly cat litter product. At the same time, it expands the application of magnesium oxide slag as a water absorbent and promotes the recycling of resources.

[0080] Table 2 shows that by designing the formula to match the filter residue composition range, its stability within a certain range is ensured, providing a reliable basis for the subsequent product ratio. The unique ratio design is based on the specific composition of the filter residue, ensuring the stability and consistency of the product.

[0081] In summary, the present invention not only provides a stable ratio of bentonite-like cat litter, but also ensures the consistency of product quality, effectively recycling the neutralization products in the wastewater of the silica gel production line, and providing a new choice for the environmentally friendly cat litter market.

[0082] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, for those of ordinary skill in the art, it is still possible to modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements for some of the technical features; and these modifications or replacements do not make the essence of the corresponding technical solutions deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions required to be protected by the present invention.

Claims

1. An environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesium oxide slag, characterized in that, It includes the following raw materials in parts by weight: A. 80 - 90 parts of magnesium oxide slag, and the magnesium oxide slag is derived from the magnesium oxide waste residue generated in the acid - base neutralization reaction during industrial production; B. 0.5 - 2.0 parts of binder; C. 8 - 18 parts of deodorant; D. 0.5 - 1.0 parts of bacteriostatic agent; E. 0.1 - 1.0 parts of pH indicator.

2. The environmentally friendly cat litter made from magnesium oxide slag according to claim 1, wherein The composition of the magnesium oxide slag includes the following components in weight ratio: magnesium oxide content 7% - 10%; silicon dioxide content 15% - 20%; calcium oxide content 1.0% - 1.5%; sodium oxide content 1.0% - 1.5%.

3. The environmentally friendly cat litter made from magnesium oxide slag according to claim 1, wherein The binder is selected from one or more of starch, guar gum, water glass, xanthan gum, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, β - cyclodextrin, propylene glycol alginate, sodium carboxymethyl starch.

4. The environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesium oxide slag according to claim 3, characterized in that, The binder includes sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and guar gum, and they are compounded in a ratio of 1:1 - 1:

3.

5. The environmentally friendly cat litter made from magnesium oxide slag according to claim 1, wherein The deodorant is selected from one or more of natural plant extracts (such as mint, citrus essential oil), bio - enzymes, silica gel, activated carbon, potassium permanganate, citrate, sodium percarbonate, sodium metaphosphate.

6. The environmentally friendly cat litter made from magnesium oxide slag according to claim 1, wherein The bacteriostatic agent is selected from one or more of natural plant extracts (such as wormwood, clove), silver ion bacteriostatic agent, chitosan, quaternary ammonium salt.

7. The environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesia slag according to claim 1, characterized in that, The crushing particle size of the magnesium oxide slag is 1 - 4 mm.

8. The environmentally friendly cat litter made from magnesium oxide slag according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water absorption rate of the cat litter is ≥150%, and the pH value is between 9 and 11.

9. A preparation method of an environmentally friendly cat litter made of magnesium oxide slag, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: (1) Drying: The collected magnesium oxide slag is dried to make the moisture content less than 5%; (2) Grinding: The dried magnesium oxide slag is ground in a grinder to make the particle size reach 1 - 4 mm; (3) Mixing: The magnesium oxide slag, binder, deodorant, bacteriostatic agent, and pH indicator are mixed evenly according to the ratio in claim 1; (4) Granulation: The mixed material is granulated by spray granulation, pan granulation or extrusion granulation to form cat litter particles; (5) Drying: The granulated cat litter particles are placed in a dryer for drying to make the final moisture content ≤5%; (6) Screening: The cat litter that does not meet the particle size requirements is screened out to obtain the finished product.

10. The preparation method according to claim 7, characterized in that, During the preparation process, the drying temperature is controlled at 80 - 120 °C; during the granulation process, the forming pressure of the cat litter particles is controlled at 0.1 - 0.5 MPa.

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