noun
- A soft, fine-grained clay mineral that swells when wet and is used in ceramics, drilling fluids, and industrial applications.
Usage: technical; geology/materials science
Examples
- Montmorillonite is a key component in bentonite clay used in oil drilling.
- The pottery clay contained montmorillonite, which gave it excellent plasticity.
- Montmorillonite's ability to absorb water makes it useful in cat litter products.
- Geologists identified montmorillonite deposits in the sedimentary rock layers.
- Industrial manufacturers use montmorillonite as a thickening agent in paints and coatings.