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 Na2SiO3·nH2O (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 Na2SiO3·5H2O is formulated as Na2SiO2(OH)2·4H2O and the
nonahydrate Na2SiO3·9H2O is formulated as Na2SiO2(OH)2·8H2O.[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 100–105 °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/