Sciencemadness Discussion Board
Not logged in [Login ]
Go To Bottom

Printable Version  
Author: Subject: Silica Gel
SAM4CH
Hazard to Others
***




Posts: 162
Registered: 16-7-2004
Location: TA
Member Is Offline

Mood: PERFECT

[*] posted on 30-11-2008 at 07:07
Silica Gel


I'd like to prepare Silica gel from sodium silicate, but I faced a problem in HCl/Sodium silicate method, I got very weak structure not like in chemical store Silica gel.
I need perfect procedure for preparing it.
View user's profile View All Posts By User This user has MSN Messenger
Klute
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 1378
Registered: 18-10-2006
Location: France
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 30-11-2008 at 08:53


Well, considering that it is a gel, you will not obtain hard pebbles like the dessicant, more a fine flowing powder.

You can obtain lumps by not letting the gel fset, that is just after reaching neutral (stop before acidic), filter the slush immediatly and leave to dry. You will have largish lumps that crumble easily after activation. I don't think the adsorption properties are at their maximum with such material, it has some surprisingly different properties than "true" silica gel, surely because it has a much smaller specifc surface.

If you add more acid to the slush until pH is acidic, and keep on stirring, the slush will form a gel. leave it to set for 15-60min, then decant wash, decant wash, etc and finally filter and wash generously. You obtain a free flowing powder after activation, with a much higher specific surface.

I don't know how they produce the dessicant shard in the industry though. Try looking into some patents.




\"You can battle with a demon, you can embrace a demon; what the hell can you do with a fucking spiritual computer?\"

-Alice Parr
View user's profile View All Posts By User
S.C. Wack
bibliomaster
*****




Posts: 2419
Registered: 7-5-2004
Location: Cornworld, Central USA
Member Is Offline

Mood: Enhanced

[*] posted on 30-11-2008 at 10:08


"...silica gel is converted to pelletized or granular form by extruding pulverized gel with a binder or by shaping the hydrogel during drying. Silica can be gelled in spherical form by spray-drying, or by spraying droplets into an immiscible liquid (emulsion polymerization). Freezing of a silica sol produces silica gel particles of nonspherical shapes." - K-O.

Have fun doing that. Nothing in K-O or Ullmann's looks very convenient except for the original method.
US1297724
View user's profile Visit user's homepage View All Posts By User
kmno4
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 1502
Registered: 1-6-2005
Location: Silly, stupid country
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 30-11-2008 at 15:42


Quote:
Originally posted by SAM4CH
I'd like to prepare Silica gel from sodium silicate, but I faced a problem in HCl/Sodium silicate method, I got very weak structure not like in chemical store Silica gel.
I need perfect procedure for preparing it.

Inorganic Syntheses vol.2, page 95 (available)
V. Karyakin and I. I. Angelov, Pure Chemical Compounds [in Russian] (available as DJVU in Russian), page 173
Do not search in shitty patents - above is given good literature ;)
ps. making this gel is a fun - you stirr a liter of solution and in a moment you cannot sir: you got a hard gel.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
chief
National Hazard
****




Posts: 630
Registered: 19-7-2007
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 1-12-2008 at 12:48


Was it not possible to somehow prepare the Na-silicate by melting SiO2 (quartz) with either NaOH OR Na2CO3, and then dissolving in H2O ? This could be done with a welding-transformer and some carbon-electrodes.

Such gel is very useful: It wets glass, eg. . Also fireproof furnaces etc. may be made with the gel as binder.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
Klute
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 1378
Registered: 18-10-2006
Location: France
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 1-12-2008 at 14:39


IIRC, even boiling glass in conc. NaOH gives a silicate solution after a certain period. But you just aswell get it from the nearby hardware store, I think it's pretty universally used and sold.



\"You can battle with a demon, you can embrace a demon; what the hell can you do with a fucking spiritual computer?\"

-Alice Parr
View user's profile View All Posts By User
starman
Hazard to Others
***




Posts: 318
Registered: 5-7-2008
Location: Western Australia
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 2-12-2008 at 02:11


Quote:
Originally posted by Klute
IIRC, even boiling glass in conc. NaOH gives a silicate solution after a certain period. But you just aswell get it from the nearby hardware store, I think it's pretty universally used and sold.

Cool...off to the hardware store.Sold and used for what?Trade names?
View user's profile View All Posts By User
Klute
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 1378
Registered: 18-10-2006
Location: France
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 2-12-2008 at 09:10


trade names I dunno they will surely be different from country to country... It used a a hydrofuge for wood, bricks, etc a very dense viscous clear liquid. Asking for waterglass will surely be all that's needed.



\"You can battle with a demon, you can embrace a demon; what the hell can you do with a fucking spiritual computer?\"

-Alice Parr
View user's profile View All Posts By User
Lloyd
Harmless
*




Posts: 2
Registered: 13-1-2009
Location: oz
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 28-1-2009 at 05:45


Quote:
Originally posted by starman
Quote:
Originally posted by Klute
IIRC, even boiling glass in conc. NaOH gives a silicate solution after a certain period. But you just aswell get it from the nearby hardware store, I think it's pretty universally used and sold.

Cool...off to the hardware store.Sold and used for what?Trade names?

in oz i'm pretty sure that sodium silicate has uses in the 'temporary automotive head repair in a bottle',i hope this helps.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
starman
Hazard to Others
***




Posts: 318
Registered: 5-7-2008
Location: Western Australia
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 28-1-2009 at 07:50


Thanks Lloyd,oz specific sources always welcome.We always seem to have to go that extra yard here in oz.
View user's profile View All Posts By User

  Go To Top