Sodium silicate

Sodium silicate is the common name for a compound sodium metasilicate, Na2SiO3, also known as waterglass or liquid glass. It is available in aqueous solution and in solid form and is used in cements, passive fire protection, refractories, textile and lumber processing, and automobiles. Sodium carbonate and silicon dioxide react when molten to form sodium silicate and carbon dioxide:[1] Na2CO3 + SiO2 Na2SiO3 + CO2 Anhydrous sodium silicate contains a chain polymeric anion composed of corner shared {SiO4} tetrahedral, and not a discrete SiO32 ion.[1] In addition to the anhydrous form, there are hydrates with the formula Na2SiO3nH2O (where n = 5, 6, 8, 9) which contain the discrete, approximately tetrahedral anion SiO2(OH)22 with water of hydration. For example, the commercially available sodium silicate pentahydrate Na2SiO35H2O is formulated as Na2SiO2(OH)24H2O and the nonahydrate Na2SiO39H2O is formulated as Na2SiO2(OH)28H2O.[2] In industry, the various grades of sodium silicate are characterized by their SiO2:Na2O ratio, which can vary between 2:1 and 3.75:1.[3] Grades with this ratio below 2.85:1 are termed 'alkaline'. Those with a higher SiO2:Na2O ratio are described as 'neutral'.

Water Glass[4] was defined in Von Wagner's Manual of Chemical Technology (1892 translation) as any of the soluble alkaline silicates, first observed by Van Helmont circa 1640 as a fluid substance made by melting sand with excess alkali.[5][6] Glauber made what he termed "liquor silicum" in 1646 from potash and silica.[7] Von Fuchs, in 1818, obtained what is now known as water glass by treating silicic acid with an alkali, the result being soluble in water, "but not affected by atmospheric changes".[8][9] Von Wagner distinguished soda, potash, double (soda and potash), and fixing (i.e., stabilizing) as types of water glass. The fixing type was "a mixture of silica well saturated with potash water glass and a sodium silicate" used to stabilize inorganic water color pigments on cement work for outdoor signs and murals.

Properties
Sodium silicate is a white powder that is readily soluble in water, producing an alkaline solution. It is one of a number of related compounds which include sodium orthosilicate, Na4SiO4, sodium pyrosilicate, Na6Si2O7, and others. All are glassy, colourless and dissolve in water. Sodium silicate is stable in neutral and alkaline solutions. In acidic solutions, the silicate ion reacts with hydrogen ions to form silicic acid, which when heated and roasted forms silica gel, a hard, glassy substance.

Uses
Metal repair
Sodium silicate is used, along with magnesium silicate, in muffler repair and fitting paste. When dissolved in water, both sodium silicate, and magnesium silicate form a thick paste that is easy to apply. When the exhaust system of an internal combustion engine heats up to its operating temperature, the heat drives out all of the excess water from the paste. The silicate compounds that are left over have glass-like properties, making a temporary, brittle repair.

Automotive repair
Sodium silicate can be used to fill gaps within the head gasket. Commonly used on aluminum alloy cylinder heads, which are sensitive to thermally induced surface deflection, and can be caused by many things including head-bolt stretching, deficient coolant delivery, high cylinder head pressure, over-heating, vapor-lock, etc. "Liquid glass" (sodium silicate) is added to the system through the radiator, and allowed to circulate. Sodium silicate is suspended in the coolant until it reaches the cylinder head. At 100 105 C sodium silicate loses water molecules to form a glass seal with a re-melt temperature above 810 C. A sodium silicate repair will last two years, sometimes longer. The repair occurs rapidly, and symptoms disappear instantly. This repair only works when the sodium silicate reaches its "conversion" temperature at 100105 C. Contamination of engine oil is a serious possibility in situations in which a coolant-to-oil leak is present. Sodium silicate (glass particulate) contamination of lubricants is detrimental to their function.

Source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_silicate

Quartz is the most important sand-forming mineral, and occurs in very many sand types but usually not exclusively. In this sand type, quartz is almost the sole component of sand. Similar sandstones are called quartz arenites or orthoquartzites. Quartz is the most important sand-forming mineral because it is resistant to both physical and chemical weathering. Sand that is enriched in quartz is likely old (mature) and has travelled far from the source area, sometimes thousands of kilometers. Long journey is required to allow weathering to break down weaker minerals that were initially present because they are abundant in rocks. Mineral grains that make up this kind of sand can be very old. They may have broken away from their source rocks millions or even hundreds of millions of years ago and have perhaps seen several lithification and weathering cycles. Good examples of sand enriched in quartz can be found in Florida. Sand from Siesta Key beach is sometimes called the whitest in the world, although it has competitors. Quartz rich sand are found on the coasts of passive continental margins (margins of the continents without active volcanism).

Fine-grained quartz sand from the St Peter formation (Ordovician sandstone) from Minnesota, USA. The width of the view is 7 mm. Source : http://www.sandatlas.org/2010/02/quartz-sand/