Before knowing the production method of sodium silicate and potassium silicate, it is better to know that silicates, especially alkaline salts such as sodium, potassium and calcium, are among the key compounds in the industrial world based on silicon. These compounds are widely used silicates due to their many applications and high importance. It is noteworthy that potassium silicate is insoluble in water, while sodium silicate and potassium silicate are easily soluble in water.
Due to its reasonable price and non-toxic properties, sodium silicate is used in many industries, including the production of glass, ceramics and detergents. This material is also used in the production of surfactants, adhesives, paints, various resins, cement, zeolites and silica gel, and is also used in refinery processes.According to the recent researches, there are two new economic methods for producing silicates such as sodium silicate and potassium silicate, which we will review briefly below, so stay with us.
Production of sodium silicate by NaOH and Na2CO3 method or quartz fusion
Sodium silicate is produced through a process that involves fusing quartz with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3). In these common processes, the use of high temperature in electric furnaces is of great importance to achieve optimal efficiency. Also, the presence of a high percentage of alkaline materials in this process helps a lot to improve efficiency. New research shows that one of the new methods of producing sodium silicate and potassium silicate is to use 80% excess amounts of alkaline materials at different temperatures.The following results have been obtained from this research:
Production of sodium silicate and potassium silicate
In the production process of sodium silicate and potassium silicate, researchers have investigated the effect of adding 80% more than the required amount of sodium or potassium hydroxide at variable temperatures. This method, which involves melting quartz with a mixture of NaOH and Na2CO3, leads to a reduction in sodium silicate production costs. The reason for this is the decrease in temperature and time required for the reaction. It can be said that the dissolution of Na2CO3 in molten sodium hydroxide increases the ionic strength of the reaction medium and, as a result, makes it easier to break the Si-O bonds in the quartz structure. This process is used in the production of potassium / sodium double silicates by melting quartz with a combination of Na2CO3 and KOH.Production of sodium silicate by fusion of quartz with NaCl NaOH mixture
In the new method used to produce sodium silicate, quartz is melted with a combination of NaCl and NaOH. Scientists have used sodium to save money. Scientifically, the temperature of 350 degrees Celsius is known to be very suitable for this process. As the temperature increases, the reaction efficiency changes in sodium silicate production are limited. Recent research has shown that similar results have been obtained for the production of mixed sodium / potassium silicates in the presence of KOH and NaCl. The sodium silicate produced in this method has acceptable industrial purity.
Conclusion: The traditional methods of producing alkaline silicates require high temperature and high consumption of alkali, but using new methods of quartz melting with the combination of NaOH and Na2CO3 or NaOH and NaCl, the reaction temperature increases dramatically.NaCl is known as an abundant, cheap and affordable additive. Therefore, its use is recommended for the production of sodium silicate and mixed silicates on an industrial scale. The most optimal reaction conditions are the use of 5% by weight of NaCl along with 10-15% of additional soda at a temperature of 400°C and a reaction time of 10 minutes.
Dry method of producing sodium silicate:
The process of producing sodium silicate through the dry method begins by melting a mixture of sodium carbonate and sand in special furnaces. As a result of this operation, a green material is obtained, which is then crushed in cooling devices and dissolved in water. After that, filter the resulting solution to obtain pure sodium silicate.After the production of sodium silicate, due to its adhesive properties and resistance to heat and chemicals, this material is used in various industries such as paper production, detergent manufacturing, and as an auxiliary agent in refining processes. Also, sodium silicate is used as an additive in the production of cement and concrete and helps to increase the strength and durability of the products. In the food industry, it is also used as an authorized additive (E550) to prevent the accumulation and stickiness of dry food. This variety of applications shows the importance and extent of using sodium silicate in modern industries.
The best way to produce sodium silicate:
In the more method to produce sodium silicate, we first place silica rock and caustic soda in a reactor under controlled temperature and pressure conditions. Silica is transported to the mill through a conveyor belt and crushed into powder.Then, this silica powder is transferred to the reactor by another conveyor belt to react with water and caustic soda and the sodium silicate production process begins. After finishing the cooking process, the product is transferred to the sedimentation tank and after drying and concentrating, it is ready for consumption.
The sodium silicate produced by the Terr method is used in various industries due to its unique properties. This substance is used as an adhesive agent in the production of products such as paper, detergents and even as a component in the production of cement and concrete. Also, in the food industry, it is used as an additive (E550) to prevent dry food from clumping and sticking. Sodium silicate is also used in refractory and casting industries due to its anti-corrosion properties and heat resistance