Sodium silicate, also known as waterglass, is a versatile inorganic chemical made by combining sand and soda ash (sodium carbonate) at high temperature. Adjusting the ratio of sand to soda ash yields a variety of products with unique functionality used in many industrial and consumer product applications.
Sodium silicates are usually produced by fusing soda ash and silica sand in a furnace at temperatures near 1,400°C. This product has a higher silicon dioxide (SiO2) to sodium superoxide (NaO2) ratio and is a noncrystalline solid solution used mainly in adhesives and other uses where binder qualities are important.
The production of sodium silicate is largely associated with the detergents industry, which is a major customer for these products. In this industry, a steady decline for heavy-duty laundry detergents is being compensated for by growing demand in dishwasher tablets. Sodium silicates growth is closely associated with GDP on a global basis.
