In the manufacture of silica-based products, liquid sodium silicates provide a readily available, convenient source of soluble silica. In many cases, the silicate is modified by addition of acid to neutralize the alkalinity of the silicate and release the silica. Silicates are used to produce these derivative products:
- Precipitated silicas
- Silica gels (adsorbent and chromatography)
- Colloidal silicas (silica sols)
- Catalyst supports (modified silica gels)
- Zeolites (sodium aluminosilicates)
- Zeolite Catalysts
- Pigments (TiO2)