Hydrated Aluminosilicate Clay Cat Litter Production Method

The present invention relates to the field of pet product manufacturing, specifically to a method for producing cat litter, and more particularly to a method for producing hydrated aluminosilicate clay cat litter. Background of the Invention [0002] Before the advent of cat litter, pet waste (e.g., from cats and dogs) was typically managed by placing wood shavings or sand indoors, or by disposing of it outdoors in random locations. This not only polluted the environment but also bred bacteria, causing indoor air pollution. With the continuous increase in the variety and number of domesticated pets, there is an urgent need for a bedding material capable of absorbing moisture, deodorizing, providing antibacterial properties, and being environmentally friendly to handle pet waste. [0003] Early cat litter was primarily made of non-clumping clay; however, because this type of litter does not form clumps after use, it is very inconvenient to clean up. With continuous advancements in cat litter production technology, the main types of cat litter currently available on the market include clay/bentonite cat litter, biodegradable cat litter made primarily from organic fibers, and silica gel cat litter. Clay/bentonite cat litter is a clumping type. Because it quickly absorbs and encapsulates pet waste, forming clumps, it is easy to clean and helps reduce unpleasant odors in the home. However, this type of litter has poor mechanical strength, generates significant dust, and has limited antibacterial and deodorizing capabilities; deodorization can only be achieved by adding fragrances or deodorizers. Biodegradable cat litter is primarily made from organic fiber materials, such as rice, beans, bamboo, and wood shavings. It has good absorbency, produces minimal odor, and is convenient to use and clean up—it can be flushed directly down the toilet. However, this type of cat litter has the drawback of being prone to bacterial growth and mold, which can be harmful to human and animal health. Silica gel cat litter is primarily made from amorphous silica chunks. This type of cat litter has excellent water absorption and deodorizing capabilities and changes color when wet; however, it does not clump, making timely cleanup difficult. Furthermore, it is expensive and prone to generating silica gel dust, which poses certain health risks to both humans and animals. Invention Summary [0004] The technical problem addressed by this invention is to provide a method for producing hydrated aluminosilicate clay cat litter, a product with superior adsorption and deodorizing capabilities; natural photocatalytic components, giving it unique disinfecting and antibacterial properties that cannot be achieved by other types of cat litter; an increased specific surface area reduces the density of the raw material, lightens the weight, and enhances clumping ability; most importantly, it eliminates the risk of dust, making it more suitable and easier to handle, while also being affordable and accessible to the general public. The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A method for producing hydrated aluminosilicate clay cat litter, comprising the following specific steps: (1) Material Selection Select raw hydrated aluminosilicate clay ore as the raw material, with the following chemical composition by mass: SiO₂ 51.56%–70.6%, Al₂O₃ 13.18%–39.67%, Fe₂O₃ 0.28%–28.51%, TiO₂ 0.11%–7.05%, CaO 0%–7.99%, MgO 0.08%–5.22%, K₂O 0.24%–6.65%, Na₂O 0%–3.87%; (2) Crushing and Impurity Removal Use a jaw crusher to crush the raw hydrated aluminosilicate clay ore to 5 mm–10 mm; feed it into a cage-type pulverizer to grind it to less than 8 mm; then feed it into a Raymond mill equipped with a centrifugal separator and cyclone dust collector to grind it to 10 μm–2 μm, yielding hydrated aluminosilicate clay micropowder; (3) Screening Screen the hydrated aluminosilicate clay micropowder to ensure that the fraction of particles 2 μm and larger is greater than 90%; (4) Calcination Place the screened hydrated aluminosilicate clay into a high-temperature furnace, turn on the power, and perform calcination with a gradual temperature increase. During heating, the temperature rises from 0 to 100°C over 30 minutes; continue heating at this rate until 500°C is reached, then close the furnace door and adjust the current to 5°C/minute. Once 700°C is reached, maintain the temperature for 30 minutes, then turn off the power and let it stand at that temperature for 30 minutes; (5) Formulation Add natural cellulose, amounting to 2%–3% of the mass of the calcined hydrated aluminosilicate clay, and water glass, amounting to 0.8%–1% of the mass of the calcined hydrated aluminosilicate clay, to the calcined hydrated aluminosilicate clay. Mix thoroughly to obtain the mixture; this reduces the powdering rate of the cat litter granules; (6) Granulation and Drying Spray water onto the mixture in a disc granulator to perform disc granulation, producing particles with a diameter of 0.8 mm to 3.8 mm. Dry the mixture, controlling the moisture content to 4%–5%, to obtain the cat litter. [0005] Furthermore, the loss on ignition (LOI) of the raw hydrated aluminosilicate clay ore is 3.46% to 11.82%. Furthermore, when the cat litter is used, granular fragrance is added in an amount accounting for 0.04% to 0.08% of the cat litter’s mass. [0006][0007] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: (1) Using pure natural inorganic mineral raw material—hydrated aluminosilicate clay—as the feedstock, and utilizing its inherent mineral structural characteristics, the process involves calcination to remove crystalline water, thereby forming a multi-porous structure between molecules, increasing the specific surface area, and enhancing adsorption capacity; thereby increasing the finished product’s expansion capacity and water absorption rate; the increased specific surface area and superior adsorption capacity enable better absorption of odors, resulting in exceptional deodorizing performance (more importantly: because the chemical composition of the raw mineral material contains natural photocatalytic components, it can perform disinfection and sterilization functions, a feature not found in other types of cat litter). (2) It gives the cat litter various natural hues (due to the presence of natural coloring [0008] oxides in the chemical composition of the raw ore; by adjusting their content and calcination temperature, the cat litter exhibits different natural colors). [0009] (3) The product possesses superior odor-absorbing and deodorizing capabilities; the natural photocatalytic components give it unique disinfecting and antibacterial properties that other types of cat litter cannot achieve; the increased specific surface area reduces the raw material’s density and weight, enhancing clumping ability; in particular, it eliminates the risk of dust, making it more suitable and easier to handle, while also being affordable and accessible to the general public. [0010] In summary, hydrated aluminosilicate clay cat litter embodies the principles of natural environmental protection and green health, both in terms of its physical and chemical structure and its color presentation. 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