Why Use Binder When Making Charcoal Briquettes and How to Choose

One of the most asked questions by customers who wants to make charcoal briquettes is “Why I have to use binder? Can’t I just press the charcoal powder?” or “What kind of binder should I use”.

Why have to use binder to make charcoal briquettes? It is because charcoal is totally lack of plasticity, thus it needs addition of a binding material to hold the charcoal powder together for transportation, forming and selling. Thanks to the influence of binders which ensures good bonding and combustion performance. Some customers are told there’s a type of binderless briquette machine can hold the charcoal powder together without adding any binder. However, the present knowledge is insufficient on the binderless briquetting technology. By forming the charcoal powder into uniform shapes, the charcoal can burn longer time and easy to transport and storage.

What kind of binder should I use? The key to choose a type of suitable binder is its cost-effectiveness. Starch, molasses, clay, gum Arabic, sodium silicate (water glass), and bentonite, etc., among which, the starch and molasses are widely used because they’re inexpensive and easily available. Other binders, such as sodium silicate and phenol aldehyde resins might improve the effect or increase additional benefits but they are often with higher price and might also hard to get locally because of supply constraints.

Common starches that are used as binders include corn starch, wheat starch, tapioca starch, etc. Generally, starch needs to be heat with water to release its thickness properties. This process is called gelatinization. The amount of starch adding is largely depend on the mixing performance of starch, charcoal powder and water. To save starch, it’s important to choose the right mixing machine to achieve the best mixing effect.