Water glass, also known as sodium silicate (Sodium Silicate) or silicate solution, is a colorless and transparent inorganic silicate solution. It is widely used in construction, chemical, medicine, light, textiles, agriculture, and other fields. The following will give you an in-depth understanding of the mystery of water glass and its important role in modern industry.
Chemical properties and composition of water glass
Water glass is a solution made of sodium silicate and water mixed proportionately. The molecular formula of sodium silicate is Na2O·nSiO2, where the n value determines sodium silicate’s polymerization degree. Sodium silicate molecules are connected through silicon-oxygen tetrahedrons to form a three-dimensional network structure. This structure makes sodium silicate have good adhesion, coagulation and waterproof properties.
Production and use of water glass
- Production of water glass
There are two main production methods of water glass: the dry and wet methods. The dry method is mixing sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide in a certain proportion, melting at high temperatures, and cooling and pulverizing to obtain the product. The wet method is to prepare a sodium silicate solution through a chemical reaction in an aqueous solution and then concentrate and dry it to obtain solid sodium silicate.
- Uses of water glass
As an important inorganic non-metallic material, water glass is widely used in construction, ceramics, glass, casting, medicine, and other fields.
1) Construction industry: Water glass can be used to make concrete admixtures, waterproofing agents, coatings, etc., to improve the waterproof, moisture-proof, and durability properties of buildings.
2) Ceramics and glass industry: Water glass can be used as a flux for ceramics and glass to adjust their melting points and improve their properties. In the ceramic industry, water glass is also used to make ceramic molds to improve the quality and output of ceramic products.
3) Foundry industry: Water glass can be used as a binder for casting sand molds to improve the strength and fire resistance of the molding sand.
4) Pharmaceutical industry: Water glass can be used in the pharmaceutical industry to prepare medicinal silica gel, medicinal activated carbon, etc., drug carrier materials with adsorption effects. In addition, water glass also has certain medicinal value and can be used to treat certain skin diseases.
Application examples of water glass
- Application in concrete admixtures
In concrete admixtures, water glass can be used with other materials to make high-performance concrete admixtures. By adding water glass, properties such as durability, impermeability and strength of concrete can be improved, thereby increasing the service life of the building.
- Applications in Ceramic Mold Manufacturing
In manufacturing ceramic molds, water glass is used as a binder to bond quartz sand, kaolin and other raw materials together to make ceramic molds of various shapes and specifications. This ceramic mold has the advantages of good high-temperature performance, long service life, and high dimensional accuracy, and it can meet various needs in ceramic production.
- Application in casting sand molds
Water glass can be used as a binder to make foundry sand molds in the foundry industry. By mixing water glass with raw materials such as quartz sand, sand molds with high strength and fire resistance can be made to meet the needs of casting production. At the same time, water glass can also be used to improve the surface quality of casting sand molds and improve the smoothness and dimensional accuracy of castings.
- Applications in pharmaceutical carrier materials
In the pharmaceutical industry, water glass can prepare adsorbent drug carrier materials such as medicinal silica gel and activated carbon. These carrier materials can adsorb drug molecules, control the release rate and action time of the drug, and improve the efficacy and safety of the drug. In addition, water glass can also be used to therapy certain skin diseases, such as eczema and dermatitis. Its mechanism of action mainly uses the astringent and anti-osmotic effects of water glass to relieve skin inflammation and promote skin healing. When using, please pay attention to the usage method and concentration control to avoid irritation and damage to the skin.
Supplier
Luoyang Tongrun Nanotechnology Co, Ltd., as a global chemical material purveyor and manufacturer with over 12 years of experience, is highly trusted for providing high-quality chemicals and nanomaterials such as graphite powder, zinc sulfide, nitride powder, calcium nitride, Ca3N2, 3D printing powder, etc.
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