Cold briquetting is an energy-efficient agglomeration process widely used in metallurgy, mining, and solid waste recycling. It transforms fine or powdery materials such as غبار الفولاذ, iron concentrate, coal fines, خبث الصلب, and desulfurization gypsum into compact, transportable cold briquettes without requiring high-temperature sintering.
At the heart of this process is the الموثق. The right binder ensures sufficient bonding strength, water resistance, mechanical durability, and thermal compatibility. This article provides a comprehensive overview of different types of binders used in cold briquetting, compares their performance, and highlights selection strategies for different industrial needs while addressing the question: what are binders used for in briquetting?
Types of Binders for Cold Briquetting
Binders for cold briquetting can be classified into three main categories based on their chemical composition and source:
| Binder Category | الموثقs |
| Inorganic binders | Cement, lime, bentonite clay, and sodium silicate, gypsum borate |
| Organic binders | Lignin derivatives, molasses, humic substances, pregelatized starch, carboxymethyl Starch (CMS), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polymers, |
| Composite binders | Jianjie composite binder |
Inorganic Binders
Inorganic binders are mineral-based compounds that do not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds. These include materials like cement, lime, bentonite clay, and sodium silicate (water glass). They can resist high temepature which makes them great choices for metallurgical process are often used in high-temperature or metallurgical processes because of their stability in high-temp (for example, in blast furnace/EAF, etc.).
Popular inorganic binders:
| Inorganic Binders | Features | Use |
| Cement (e.g., Portland Cement) | High strength, good water resistance, widely used for mineral powders. | Iron ore fines, steel mill dust, EAF dust briquetting. |
| Lime (quicklime or hydrated lime) | Enhances mechanical strength and acts as a fluxing agent. | Steel slag, desulfurization gypsum, and basic oxygen furnace (BOF) dust. |
| Bentonite Clay | A swelling clay with decent binding ability; used when cost is a concern. | Iron ore pellet fines, various mineral fines where ash content is less critical. |
| Sodium Silicate (Water Glass) | Offers strong adhesion and thermal stability | Coal fines, metallurgical dust, slag mixtures where strength and thermal bonding are critical |
Advantages of Inorganic Binder for Briquettes:
- Readily available and cost-effective (especially bentonite and lime)
- Proven effectiveness for a wide range of mineral-based materials
- Suitable for high-temperature or metallurgical applications
Disadvantages of Inorganic Binder for Briquettes:
- High dosages required (5–10%)
- High ash content and gangue content
- Contains impurties (e.g. SiO2 in bentonite) that can lower the Fe grade of metallurgical briquettes
- Often associated with longer drying or curing times
Organic Binders
Organic binders are carbon-based substances derived from natural or synthetic sources. They include lignin derivatives, molasses, humic substances, starches, and polymers. These binders are increasingly favored for their natural characteristic and low residual content (unwanted impurities that lower the metal content) in final briquettes.
Popular organic binders:
| Organic Binders | Features | Use |
| Lignosulfonates | By-products from the paper industry, effective and low-cost. | Coal fines, coke breeze, low-rank coal dust. |
| Molasses | Sugar refinery by-product, often mixed with lime. | Coal briquetting, biofuel biomass briquette. |
| Humic Acid | Eco-friendly and improves bonding of coal-based fines. | Lignite and sub-bituminous coal fines. |
| Starch, CMC, and synthetic polymers (Jianjie Binder) | Offer excellent adhesion and low ash but may be more costly. | Coal briquetting, iron ore fines, biomass briquettes where low impurity is essential. |
Advantages of Organic Binder for Briquettes:
- Lower ash and impurity content
- Improve the metal content in metallurgical briquettes
- Fast drying properties
Disadvantages of Organic Binder for Briquettes:
- Limited thermal strength: weaker dry and fired strengths compared to inorganic binders
- Sensitive to humidity and temperature
- Often need support from inorganic materials for adequate heat resistance
Composite or Customized Binders
Composite binders are engineered formulations combining both organic and inorganic ingredients. These customized blends are designed to balance strength, cost, dosage, environmental impact, and compatibility with specific raw materials.
These combine organic and inorganic components, designed for specific materials and process needs.
| Composite Binders | Features | Use |
| Jianjie Composite Binder | A proprietary blend engineered for high-strength, low-dosage cold briquetting across various industries. | Coal briquetting, biochar, metallurgical fines, ore fines, etc. |
Advantages of Composite Binder for Briquettes
- Tailored to specific raw materials and processes
- Balance between mechanical strength, low ash content, and fast curing
- Require lower dosage
Disadvantages of Composite Binder for Briquettes
- Require lab validation or customization for each application
Comparisons Between Different Binders in Cold Briquetting
| الموثق | Category | Strength | Environmental Impact | Curing Time | Use Cases |
| Cement | Inorganic | High | Moderate | Slow | Iron/Steel fines |
| Lime | Inorganic | Medium | Moderate | Medium | Steel slag, gypsum |
| Bentonite | Inorganic | Medium | Moderate | Medium | Ore fines |
| Sodium Silicate | Inorganic | Medium | Moderate | Slow | Coal, slag |
| Lignosulfonate | Organic | Medium | Good | Fast | Coal fines |
| Molasses | Organic | Medium | Good | Fast | Coal, biomass |
| Humic Acid | Organic | Low–Medium | Good | Fast | Coal-based dust |
| Jianjie Organic Binder | Organic | High | Good | Fast | Versatile |
How to Choose the Right Binder for Your Briquettes
As you’ve learned the types of binders often used in briquetting, you may wonder how to select the right binder for cold briquetting. It depends on several factors:
Raw material composition and behavior: The mineralogy, particle size, moisture content, and chemical reactivity of your material significantly influence binder compatibility. Fine-grained, hydrophilic, or chemically active materials (like steel dust or gypsum) may require different binders than coarse or inert materials.
Strength and thermal performance requirements: Consider how much compressive and impact strength your briquettes need—especially during transport, handling, or stacking. Also, determine whether the briquettes will face thermal exposure (e.g., 200–1200°C, or even higher) during downstream processing such as sintering, roasting, or melting.
Environmental and regulatory limits: If you’re subject to restrictions on heavy metals, ash content, volatile organics, or CO2 emissions, choose binders with low impurity levels and minimal combustion byproducts. Organic or composite binders are often preferred for cleaner operations.
Economic feasibility: Binder price is important—but so is dosage, curing time, and yield. For example, a low-cost binder requiring 6–10% dosage may ultimately be more expensive than a premium binder that achieves better results at 0.5–1% and reduces downstream processing costs.
Tip: Always test binder performance through lab-scale and pilot trials before full-scale application.
Got Questions?
If you’re dealing with challenging materials, need to reduce cement/bentonite usage, or increase the quality of your briquettes, Jianjie offers a suite of custom binders and lab testing services to help you identify the optimal solution. Contact us for free sample now!
Are you looking for binders for iron ore pellets? Check out our related binder products for pelletizing here!
Extended read: More information about bentonite binder and orgainc binder and composite binder in pelletizing.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Binders are essential in cold briquetting to provide cohesion among fine particles, ensuring that the resulting briquettes maintain their shape, strength, and durability during handling, transportation, and storage—without the need for high-temperature sintering.
There is no standard answer to the question. The best mataching binder depends on your material properties, desired briquette performance, and cost constraints:
For advanced performance, composite binders like Jianjie Binder offer a balanced solution with low dosage and strong bonding to help improve metal content, lower ash, and enhance the successful rate of your briquettes
Use cement or lime for high-strength applications .
Choose organic binders like starch-based binder, polymer-based binder (Jianjie organic binder), or lignosulfonate for low-ash, environmentally friendly solutions.
Yes. The type and amount of binder used directly impact briquette compressive strength, water resistance, ash content, and thermal stability. For example, high-dosage inorganic binders may reduce Fe content, while low-dosage organic binders maintain purity but may need support for strength.
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