We all studied chemistry, but most of us either forgot or didn’t even want
to remember those nightmare days learning organic chemistry. Isn’t it?
But it’s a shame that we did not even remember the fun part of such
chemical compounds. Similar is the case with Sodium Silicate.
So, let’s recap the compound first.
What is it?
The composite product is a standard name for chemical compounds like sodium
orthosilicate, sodium metasilicate, and sodium pyrosilicate. These are
usually a white powder or transparent colorless solids and are easily
soluble in water in diverse amounts. Moreover, the amalgam is a mixture
of the above-mentioned compounds, especially the metasilicate (Na2SiO3),
also recognized as liquid glass or water, and formed when silicon dioxide and sodium carbonate react in the molten state to
form carbon dioxide and sodium silicate. It can be found in a solid
state as well as in an aqueous solution.
Now, the obvious question is what are its uses? For that, let’s dive a little bit deeper to know its application.
Extensive application of sodium silicate
The unusual compound has numerous uses in many industries, such as in
cement formulation, fire protection, lumber and textile processing,
manufacturing of refractory ceramics, and silica gel production;
moreover, these are great adhesives and are quite effective in bonding
various materials and metals together.
Also, water glass has numerous usages in art studios for auxiliary tasks. Some artists may
describe using this liquid as a simple deflocculated substance while
creating clay slips, while others may modify it to give their ceramic
works an immediate antique touch. Some people could only be utilizing it
to seal a surface or join several components.
Did you know sodium silicate is used in the casting industry too?
Yes, this is for the reason that it can swiftly transform from a liquid to a
solid by flowing carbon dioxide through it, making it suitable for use
in mold casting. The silicate component dehydrates as a result. When a
cavity is needed inside the casting, this method is quite helpful.
Although it can produce a solid core for the casting, it has to be
combined with other elements to enable the core to be extracted once the
casting has broken down. The casting will become worthless if the
combination is incorrect since the core will become trapped inside the
casting.
Additionally, because it functions as a strong binder and can successfully bond the
sand grains together, it is frequently used to create sand-molded
castings. When exposed to carbon dioxide, the sand cores solidify and
maintain their resilience. They may be used to make foundry molds by
being filled with molten metal.
Now, if you are a professional or even a rookie in life casting, you might
know all this above information, but you might struggle to seek quality
sodium silicate products for your art creation. In that case, we got you
covered!
Some of the best water glass products in the market
With over 20 years of experience in life casting, EnvironMolds offers the
best quality sodium silicate products for lifecasting. Thus, the use of
such top-notch products will reflect and boost your artwork creations.
Here are two of the best liquid glass products for your life casting arts,
- ArtMolds Sodium Silicate – It is an all-purpose product used for ceramics, mold making for
materials, plaster and cement sealer, and as an adhesive for high
temperatures. - Seelfast Cement And Concrete Sealer (100% Sodium Silicate / Water Glass) – This is a universal sealant that is applied to seal cracks in
concrete bases, driveways, walkways, and sidewalks. It can also be
employed to apply labels and solidify cardboard cartons.
Thus, if you are interested in the fun part of applying chemistry in your
professional life, and have a passion for it, then what are you waiting
for? Just get right into it!
