Understanding Detailed Industrial Applications of Sodium Silicate

Sodium silicates are widely popular in the market for multiple reasons. They showcase useful physical and chemical properties, which many alkaline salts might not show. Second, due to their low production cost, different sectors are looking forward to investing in proper sodium silicate plants for industrial production.

Why? That is because this compound has multiple applications and generates substantial profits with low production costs.

From being the active ingredient in cleaning compounds to detergents and adhesives, sodium silicate is used in every manufacturing industry. Different companies utilise the functional characteristics of these soluble silicates to efficiently and economically resolve many problems related to industrial processes. So, let’s take a quick look at the different applications of sodium silicate in the market:

Detergents

Sodium silicate solutions are widely famous for being the drying agent in detergent powder production. The manufacturing units use silicate solutions to control the detergent powders' viscosity.

It acts as the binder to provide the required degree of hardness to the detergent particles without affecting their solubility in water. It is known to be the active ingredient that overall enhance the detergent's performance. Some of the properties worth mentioning here include humidification, emulsification, deflocculation, anti-redeposition, corrosion prevention, etc.

Sodium silicates can also eliminate minerals, thereby reducing the hardness of water through the ion exchange mechanism. However, to generate huge quantities at low manufacturing costs, invest in finding the best sodium silicate plant exporters in the market.

Adhesives

Sodium silicate is widely used as adhesives or binders. They consist of high content of silica polymer. These compounds can remove small quantities of water by converting the liquid into a solid state.

Sodium silicate adhesives can expand and contract, thereby forming a permanent seal resistant to damages caused due to heat and water. Many industries export these silicate adhesives, while some find uses in the paper industry. In addition, it forms one of the chief ingredients in producing sheet metal, wood, and other items except for plastic.

As Binders

Another outstanding function of sodium silicate is its capacity to act as silicate cement or binders. They can react chemically to form solid chemical bonds both in powder as well as solutions. Due to such properties, it is used in the no-bake refractories. In addition, it is highly resistant to acids, high temperatures, solvents and pretty easy to use in the manufacturing industry.

Films And Coatings

Did you know that dry silicate films can withstand the effects of grease, tallow or any other oils? Yes, these sodium silicate compounds are grease-proof, pest-proof and even resistant to fire.

It shows moderate resistance to water which you can increase by adding heavy metal oxides, inorganic polymers, insoluble carbonate agents, etc. In addition, the sodium silicates form protective layers on the metals for controlling corrosion in water lines.

Water Treatment Plants

When you mix silicates with alum or any other coagulants, it can potentially increase the flocculation rate. However, it is easy to add sodium silicate in the water treatment plans to remove unwanted particles from water seamlessly.

Therefore,

Besides these, sodium silicates are also valuable for mineral processing, the textile industry, casting materials, etc. Moreover, the natural adhesive properties of sodium silicates make it an ideal choice for briquetting, pelletising, and synthesising minerals.