Improving the Properties of Magnetite Green Pellets with a Novel Organic Composite Binder

A novel composite binder (humic acid modified bentonite, HAMB) and two other binders (bentonite and Modified humic acid, MHA) were used to explore the effects of binders on the properties of magnetite green pellets in this study. The results of green pellet properties and drying tests show that the low doses of a humic substance-based binder can achieve the same effect as high doses of bentonite binder. A humic substance-based binder could be a promising organic binder to replace bentonite. Meanwhile, the influence mechanism of adding different binders on the strength of green pellet was discussed, and the relationship between moisture content in the pellet and the compression strength of three binders was determined. A TG-DSC analysis found that the novel composite binder (HAMB) was not a simple mix of humic acid and bentonite, in which a humic substance could change the structure of bentonite and reduce the thermal stability of bentonite, causing the HAMB composite binder to have a high decomposition temperature.