Hydrotalcite is used in a variety of applications, particularly in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. The antacid properties of hydrotalcite make it significantly useful for healthcare and chemical industry end users.

SHT has also replaced heavy-metal based heat stabilizers for PVC. They are used as halogen scavenger in plastic processes such as the production of polypropylene. Hydrotalcite is used as halogen scavengers in heavy-metal free stabilizer systems. Other applications include base or support catalysts, adsorbent for wastewater treatment, ion exchangers (good anion exchange capacity to capture both inorganic and organic anions), drug releasers, anticorrosive materials, nuclear waste treatment and CO2 capture and wide range of environmental applications. Hydrotalcite increases the bioavailability of the active ingredient, especially for poorly soluble substances. These special features enable a huge number of applications with high added-value in several fields.

Bittern and soda ash are reacted to make magnesium precursor. Aluminium sulphate and soda ash solutions are reacted to make aluminium precursor. These precursors are blended and subjected to hydrothermal treatment under optimized process conditions. The slurry is filtered, dried, pulverized and sieved to obtain pharmaceutical grade SHT. To prepare halogen scavenger grade SHT, the slurry is treated with surface modifier to make the material hydrophobic prior to filtration. The cake is washed, dried, pulverized and sieved to obtain halogen scavenger grade SHT.

Commercial scale

The global demand of synthetic hydrotalcite is more than 75000 tons. Its demand is expected to grow further to grow in the coming years to replace lead stabilizer due to regulatory norms in developed countries. In India most of the material is being imported hitherto. Major players are Kyowa Chemicals, Sud Chemie, Akzo Nobel etc. Kyowa is selling their product under the brand name DHT-4A, L-55R-II and Alcamizer at 3-5 USD per kg.

This lead free environmentally friendly halogen scavenger type hydrotalcite can be prepared from three industrial wastes such as aluminum chloride waste- generated, bittern containing magnesium compounds generated in solar salt work, and ammonium carbonate solution generated in organic pigment industries.

Sea bittern / MgCl₂, AlCl₃ or Al₂(SO₄)₃, sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate

General chemical process plant equipment (viz. pressure vessel, reactor, filter, dryer, pulverizer etc.)

Varies with scale; nominally pay-back period is < 3 years

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