Sodium Silicate Applications

• Adhesives
• Building Materials
• Cements
• Coatings & Paint
• Concrete
• Detergents & Soap
• Drilling & Workover Fluids
• Pulp & Paper
• Textiles
• Water Treatment
• Automobile Tires
• Catalysts
• Ceramics
• Inhibitors
• Waste Treatment

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Adhesives
Liquid sodium silicate makes an excellent, economical adhesive.  When dry, the silicate forms a hard, glasslike bond.  This is due to the change in viscosity during the drying process.  Use of liquid sodium silicates as an adhesive is particularly effective in the manufacture of paper and paperboard products.

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Building Materials
Sodium silicate solutions of widely varying ratios have a number of uses in the manufacture of building materials. 

Two examples:
  • Refractory Brick
  • Asphalt Shingles

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Cements
As an admixture, liquid sodium silicate functions as an accelerator in cement mixes without any sacrifice in the cement’s compressive strength.  Additional benefits of using sodium silicate in cement mixtures include increased resistance to the detrimental effects of acids and high temperatures.

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Coatings & Paint
There are several applications for liquid sodium silicate in coatings.  Added to paint and coatings, sodium silicate will enhance the glassy, hard surface characteristics.  And in zinc-rich paints, sodium silicate functions as a corrosion inhibitor.

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Concrete
Liquid sodium silicate applied to concrete provides a highly effective, penetrating seal.  The treated concrete is more resistant to chemical attack and abrasion damage due to a harder, less permeable surface than untreated concrete.

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Detergents & Soap
Liquid sodium silicates enhance the performance of soaps and detergents by acting as a buffering agent to help maintain an alkaline solution which optimizes cleaning power.  Silicates also improve particle suspension characteristics of detergents and other cleaning and processing solutions which reduce redeposition of dirt and soils.

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Drilling & Workover Fluids
Silicate-based drilling fluids are rapidly overtaking the use of less environmentally friendly drilling muds.  Combined with lower overall costs and reduced environmental liabilities, these water-based fluids are also easier and less costly to recycle than earlier generation oil muds.  

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Pulp & Paper
Sodium Silicate is used in several pulp and paper processes.  It is used as a pH buffer and complexing agent during pulp bleaching.  Sodium silicate also plays an important role in de-inking recycled paper by not only improving the removal of ink but also enhancing paper brightness.

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Textiles
Sodium silicates perform several key functions in the textiles processing industry.  Use of silicates during textile cleaning enhances the removal of dirt and grease, helps to maintain optimum alkalinity and reduces particle redeposition.  During the bleaching process, sodium silicates improve the overall process and help to lower costs by increasing the efficiency of bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide.   

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Water Treatment
Sodium silicate performs several functions in treating water and water distribution systems.  Due to its high alkalinity, silicates help raise the pH of water, thereby reducing the water’s corrosivity on metal contact surfaces.  The coating properties of silicates provide a protective film on metal surfaces to also help reduce the corrosive effects of the water.   

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Automobile Tires
Sodium silicate is added to automobile tires and other rubber products to provide improved abrasion and wear resistance.

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Catalysts
Sodium silicate is used in a wide array of catalyst materials due to its ability to accelerate catalytic activity. 

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Ceramics
Sodium silicate is widely used in ceramics manufacture as it provides the final product with superior resistance to both acidic and abrasive environments as well as the ability to withstand higher temperatures with no loss of performance capabilities.

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Inhibitors
As a corrosion inhibitor, soluble sodium silicate protects metal surfaces through its ability to form a protective film and thereby isolate the metal from the corrosive effects of water/chemical solutions.  The high pH nature of sodium silicate also helps to mitigate any acidic attack on metal surfaces.

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Waste Treatment
Use of soluble sodium silicate in treating both hazardous and non-hazardous waste streams results in a more chemically stable material that is less costly to move and landfill.  Chemically, the soluble silicate converts soluble metals to insoluble metal silicates.  This ability to stabilize waste streams not only improves the final physical properties from an environmental perspective but also reduces the overall volume of material thereby lowering disposal costs.