I-Bentonite yiminerali engeyiyo yesinyithi ene-montmorillonite njengeyona minerali iphambili. Isakhiwo se-montmorillonite sisakhiwo sekristale sohlobo lwe-2:1 esakhiwe zii-tetrahedrons ezimbini ze-silicon oxygen ezifakwe umaleko we-aluminium oxide octahedron. Ngenxa yokuba isakhiwo esifakwe iileya esenziwe yi-montmorillonite cell sinee-cations ezithile, ezifana ne-Cu, Mg, Na, K, njl.njl., kwaye indima yezi cations kunye ne-montmorillonite cell ayizinzanga kakhulu, kulula ukuyitshintshanisa nezinye ii-cations, inamandla amahle okutshintshiselana ngee-ion. Kumazwe aphesheya, isetyenziswe kumasebe angaphezu kwe-100 kumacandelo angama-24 emveliso yemizi-mveliso neyezolimo, kunye neemveliso ezingaphezu kwama-300, yiyo loo nto abantu beyibiza ngokuba "ngumhlaba wendalo yonke".

I-Bentonite ikwaziwa ngokuba yi-bentonite, i-bentonite, okanye i-bentonite. I-China inembali ende yokuphuhlisa nokusebenzisa i-bentonite, eyayisetyenziswa kuphela njengesepha. Kwakukho imigodi evulekileyo kwindawo yaseRenshou eSichuan kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo, kwaye abemi bendawo babiza i-bentonite ngokuba yi-clay powder. Isetyenziswa kakhulu kodwa inembali engaphezu kwekhulu leminyaka. Ukufunyanwa kokuqala e-United States kwakukwi-strata yamandulo yaseWyoming. Udongwe lwe-chartreuse lunokwanda lube yi-paste emva kokongeza amanzi. Kamva, abantu babiza zonke ii-clays ezinesi sakhiwo se-bentonite. Enyanisweni, ukwakheka kweminerali ephambili ye-bentonite yi-montmorillonite, enomxholo we-85-90%. Ezinye iipropati ze-bentonite nazo zichongwa yi-montmorillonite. I-Montmorillonite ingaba nemibala eyahlukeneyo, njengoluhlaza otyheli, omhlophe otyheli, ongwevu, omhlophe, njl. Ingenza iibhloko ezixineneyo okanye umhlaba okhululekileyo, onemvakalelo yokutyibilika xa ukhuhlwa ngeminwe. Emva kokongeza amanzi, umthamo weebhloko ezincinci uyanda izihlandlo ezininzi ukuya kuthi ga kwi-20-30, ubonakala ukwimeko yokuxhoma emanzini, kwaye ukwimeko yokuncamathela xa kukho amanzi amancinci. Uhlobo lwe-montmorillonite lunxulumene nokwakheka kwayo ngamakhemikhali kunye nolwakhiwo lwangaphakathi.