Process for manufacturing organoclays having enhanced gelling properties

摘要

An improvement is disclosed for use in the process wherein an organophilic clay is manufactured by reacting a sodium smectite-type clay with a higher alkyl-containing quaternary ammonium compound. According to the improvement of the invention, the gelling properties of the resulting organoclay are enhanced, by subjecting the clay to high energy pugmilling prior to the reaction thereof with the ammonium compound. This is preferably effected by passing the clay at 25 to 40 weight percent moisture content, through a pugmill which imparts at least 20 HP/hrs/ton of energy to the clay, after which the clay is subjected to the prior art processing.