Uses and applications of liquid and solid sodium silicate

Sodium silicates have many useful properties not shared by other alkaline salts. This fact, combined with their low cost, results in their use in a wide range of applications in different industries.

 

Sodium silicates are used in industry as adhesives, detergents, ingredients in cleaning compounds, cements, binders, and unique coatings, as well as coagulant aids, anticorrosives, catalyst bases, deflocculants, chemicals, zeolites, etc. The different properties and functional characteristics of soluble silicates can be used to efficiently and economically solve many problems arising in industrial and chemical processes.

 

PQ Corporation's research, based on the technology of SIDESA, has expanded the knowledge this product’s properties, and its use in a wide range of applications.

 

Silicatos y Derivados S. A. de C. V. (SIDESA) specializes in the production of sodium and potassium silicates, sodium metasilicate, laundry and other products derived from developments in the chemistry of silicates. The wide range of silicate applications include:

The sodium silicate solutions of SIDESA have been used as an ingredient in the drying process in the manufacture of detergent powder for many years. Silicate solutions are easily added to the detergent paste and help control the viscosity for the production of detergent powder of a desired density. The sodium silicate also acts as a binder to give the appropriate degree of "hardness" to the spherical particles of detergent, without affecting their solubility of in water.

 

Detergent formulations of sodium silicate have a number of invigorating properties that enhance the performance of detergent. These properties are:

 

- Humidification - Surfactant molecules act as agents to reduce the surface tension of the liquid, allowing the hard surfaces of plant tissues to properly get wet during washing

- Emulsification - Greasy stains are dispersed as a fine mist that remains suspended in the wash solution

- Deflocculation - Stains or inorganic particles are broken down into fine particles in the wash solution

- Anti-redeposition - Dirt or debris floating in the water are prevented from being redeposited on clean surfaces

- Power Buffer - Thanks to their alkalinity, silicates have the ability to control the pH of the detergent solution in the presence of the acidic grime and soften the changes in pH.

- Corrosion Prevention – Silicates help protect metal surfaces that are susceptible to the corrosive effects of other detergent ingredients.

- Sequestering power and conditioner – Silicates remove minerals and therefore the hardness of the wash water is reduced through an ion exchange mechanism that generates compounds (primarily calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese) that are removed during rinsing.

 

In the formulation of detergent, silicates have the ability to help the organic elements with their effects on the cloth surface, help maintain the small dirt or greasy particles in suspension in the wash liquid, and help to remove the spots from surfaces. The alkalinity of sodium silicates enables them to neutralize acidic stains, promote the emulsification of fats and oils and disperse or solubilize proteins. Silicates have a high buffering capacity in relation to other alkaline salts and stabilize the pH to the desired level in the presence of acidic compounds or in dilution.

Silicates that are more siliceous (i.e., with a ratio 2.8 to 3.2) are useful as adhesives or binders, due to their higher content of silica polymer. These materials remove small amounts of water, which are converted from a liquid to a solid. The advantages of sodium silicate adhesives include their ability to expand and make contact; a controllable index adjustment across broad ranges; and the formation of a rigid layer that is a strong, permanent seal resistant to tearing, bugs (i.e., pests) and moderately resistant to heat and water. Silicate adhesives are generally shipped ready for use, but for special applications can be modified by certain additives such as clay, casein and other inorganic materials. They are used for paper, wood, metal, sheet metal and other materials, except plastic.