fuller's earth

fuller's earth
an absorbent clay, used esp. for removing grease from fabrics, in fulling cloth, as a filter, and as a dusting powder.
[1515-25]

* * *

clay
      any fine-grained, naturally occurring earthy substance that has a substantial ability to adsorb impurities or colouring bodies from fats, grease, or oils. Its name originated with the textile industry, in which textile workers (or fullers) cleaned raw wool by kneading it in a mixture of water and fine earth that adsorbed oil, dirt, and other contaminants from the fibres.

      Fuller's earth consists chiefly of hydrated aluminum silicates that contain metal ions such as magnesium, sodium, and calcium within their structure. montmorillonite is the principal clay mineral in fuller's earth, but other minerals such as kaolinite, attapulgite, and palygorskite also occur and account for its variable chemical composition. Though similar in appearance to clay, fuller's earth differs by being more fine-grained and by having a higher water content. It also crumbles into mud when mixed with water, so it has little natural plasticity. The substance is found in a wide range of natural colours, from brown or green to yellow and white.

      Fuller's earth is used to refine and decolourize petroleum products, cottonseed and soy oils, tallow, and other fats and oils. Its high adsorptive power also makes it commercially important in the preparation of animal litter trays and assorted degreasing agents and sweeping compounds. Fuller's earth usually occurs as a by-product of the decomposition of feldspar or from the slow transformation of volcanic glass into crystalline solids. Major deposits of fuller's earth have been found in England, in Japan, and in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas, U.S.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Fuller's earth — is any non plastic clay or claylike earthy material used to decolorize, filter, and purify animal, mineral, and vegetable oils and greases. Contents 1 Occurrence and composition 2 Uses 3 See also 4 …   Wikipedia

  • Fuller's earth — Fuller Full er, n. [AS. fullere, fr. L. fullo. See {Full}, v. t.] One whose occupation is to full cloth. [1913 Webster] {Fuller s earth}, a variety of clay, used in scouring and cleansing cloth, to imbibe grease. {Fuller s herb} (Bot.), the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • fuller's earth — n. a highly absorbent, opaque clay used to remove grease from woolen cloth in fulling, to clarify fats and oils, etc …   English World dictionary

  • fuller's earth — balinančiosios žemės statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Gamtinės medžiagos, (pvz., molis) gebančios adsorbuoti priemaišas ir išgryninti kitas medžiagas. atitikmenys: angl. bleaching earth; fuller s earth rus. отбеливающие земли …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • fuller's earth — noun /ˌfʊləz ˈɜːθ/ A fine clay used in fulling cloth. , 1785, On Lord Sunderlands estate, in the county of Westmeath, there is a fine strata of fuller’s earth, a commodity of which our woollen manufacturers stand much in need: yet this bed lies… …   Wiktionary

  • fuller's earth — an impure aluminum silicate, consisting mainly of attapulgite, having decolorizing and purifying properties. See also fuller s earth pneumoconiosis, under pneumoconiosis …   Medical dictionary

  • fuller's earth pneumoconiosis — a rare type of silicatosis caused by inhalation of the dust of fuller s earth, seen in workers with long term heavy exposure …   Medical dictionary

  • fuller's earth — ful|ler s earth [ˌfuləz ˈə:θ US ərz ˈə:rθ] n [U] dried clay made into a powder that is used to clean cloth or oil …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • fuller's earth — ful|ler s earth [ fulərz ,ɜrθ ] noun uncount a type of clay used for making liquids clearer or removing oil from cloth …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • fuller's earth — ful′ler s earth′ n. clo an absorbent clay, used esp. for removing grease from fabrics, in fulling cloth, as a filter, and as a dusting powder …   From formal English to slang

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”