Clumping animal litter and method thereof
A clumpable animal litter comprises composite particles of filler materials, such as limestone and sand, and sodium bentonite. The filler materials have a lower bulk density as compared to a granular mixture of the same percentage of filler and sodium bentonite clay and contain up to eighty-five percent less clay.
1. An animal litter comprising:
composite particles of a filler material and sodium bentonite, the filler material and sodium bentonite being agglomerated together into the composite particles, wherein the filler material is present in an amount from about 60% to about 80% by weight of the composite particles and the sodium bentonite is present in an amount from about 20% to about 40% by weight of the composite particles;
wherein the animal litter has a clump strength of at least 90% as measured by the Clump Strength Test Method.
2. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein the filler material is present in an amount of about 70% by weight of the composite particles, and the sodium bentonite is present in an amount of about 30% by weight of the composite particles.
3. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein the animal litter has a clump strength of at least 93%.
4. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein the composite particles have a bulk density greater than 60 lb/ft 3 .
5. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein the composite particles have a mean particle size from 0.4 mm to 2 mm.
6. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein at least one of:
(i) the filler material has a mean particle size of 0.5 mm or less; or
(ii) the sodium bentonite has a mean particle size of 0.25 mm or less.
7. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein the composite particles further comprise powered activated carbon.
8. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein the filler material is limestone.
9. The animal litter recited in claim 1 , wherein the filler material comprises at least one of limestone, dolomite, calcite, calcium carbonates, sand, shale, gravel, or slate.
10. An animal litter comprising:
composite particles of a filler material and sodium bentonite, the filler material and sodium bentonite being agglomerated together into the composite particles, wherein the filler material is present in an amount from about 50% to about 80% by weight of the composite particles and the sodium bentonite is present in an amount from about 20% to about 50% by weight of the composite particles;
wherein the animal litter has a clump strength of at least 90% as measured by the Clump Strength Test Method.
11. The animal litter recited in claim 10 , wherein the composite particles further comprise powdered activated carbon.
12. The animal litter recited in claim 10 , wherein the filler material is limestone.
13. The animal litter recited in claim 10 , wherein the filler material comprises at least one of limestone, dolomite, calcite, calcium carbonates, sand, shale, gravel, or slate.
14. The animal litter recited in claim 10 , wherein the composite particles have a bulk density greater than 60 lb/ft 3 .
15. The animal litter recited in claim 10 , wherein the composite particles have a mean particle size from 0.4 mm to 2 mm.
16. The animal litter recited in claim 10 , wherein at least one of:
(i) the filler material has a mean particle size of 0.5 mm or less; or
(ii) the sodium bentonite has a mean particle size of 0.25 mm or less.