Potassium silicate
Potassium silicate – is one of the salts of silicic acid, chemical formula K2SiO3. A glass industry product obtained by subjecting a mixture of potassium carbonate and quartz sand to temperature. It looks like pieces of glass, blue or green, of arbitrary shape, ranging in size from 20mm to 100mm. The main application is in the production of welding electrodes, paint and varnish industry, production of household chemicals, etc.
Chemical formula – K2SiO3.
Country of origin: Ukraine.
Packaging: big bag weighing 1500 kg or in bulk without packaging.
Technical specifications
Basic chemical and physical indicators:
Product brand | Molar ratio | Na2O, % | K20, % | SiO2, % | Others, % |
К 2.9-3.1 | 2,9-3,1 | 0,0 | 33,9 | 65,1 | 0,7 |
К 3.1-3.3 | 3,1-3,3 | 0,0 | 31,9 | 66,5 | 0,7 |
К 3.3-3.5 | 3,3-3,5 | 0,0 | 31,3 | 67,9 | 0,1 |
К 3.5-3.7 | 3,5-3,7 | 0,0 | 29,3 | 67,1 | 0,7 |
К 3.9-4.1 | 3,9-4,1 | 0,0 | 27,9 | 71,3 | 0,7 |
KN 2.9-3.1 | 2,9-3,1 | 7,5 | 22,6 | 65,6 | 0,7 |
NK 2.9-3.1 | 2,9-3,1 | 19,5 | 7,6 | 71,3 | 0,7 |
N 2.9-3.1 | 2,9-3,1 | 24,1 | 0,0 | 75,1 | 0,8 |
Organoleptic characteristics: hard, glassy, transparent, odorless, inedible.
SAFETY: non-flammable, non-toxic, non-explosive.
Potassium silicate of all modifications is a glassy product; therefore, contact with the skin and mucous membranes should be avoided, the skin should be protected from sharp corners of glass and dust, and when working, use a respirator, gown, gloves and safety glasses. Reacts violently with acids!
Recommendations for choosing a brand of potassium silicate
Potassium and sodium silicates are most widely used as raw materials for the production of liquid glass. The process of producing liquid glass in its most general form consists of dissolving lump silicate in water under the influence of temperature and pressure. To ensure the required technological parameters, an autoclave method or various variations of non-autoclave dissolution are used (in a dissolver, in a reactor, in a ball mill, etc.).
In each specific case, the brand of silicate is selected individually, however, the following trends have emerged regarding the purpose of liquid glass:
- for welding electrodes – K2.9-3.1, K3.1-3.3, K3.3-3.5, K3.9-4.1, KN2.9-3.1, NK2.9-3, 1
- for the paint and varnish industry – K3.9-4.1
- for the ceramic industry – K3.9-4.1
- for ceramic fluxes – K2.9-3.1, NK2.9-3.1
- for agro fertilizers – K2.9-3.1
- for building materials – N2.9-3.1