Basic properties and usage of liquid water glass

Liquid water glass, also known as sodium silicate solution, has a chemical formula of Na ₂ O · nSiO ₂, where n represents modulus and is an important parameter for measuring product performance. This solution is usually a transparent or slightly milky viscous liquid with strong alkalinity, easily soluble in water, and can react with various metal ions to form insoluble silicate precipitates. According to the modulus, liquid water glass can be divided into high modulus and low modulus types. The former is more suitable for refractory materials and casting bonding, while the latter is mostly used in detergent and water treatment fields.

In construction, liquid water glass is often used as a concrete quick setting agent and waterproofing agent. When mixed with cement, it can accelerate early strength development and shorten the curing period; After being sprayed on the wall or ground, it can penetrate into the interior of the substrate, react with free lime to generate calcium silicate gel, block the capillary channels, and thus enhance the impermeability. In addition, in foundation reinforcement projects, water glass is injected into loose soil layers through pressure grouting, and then combined with hardening agents such as calcium chloride, which can quickly form a consolidated body and improve the overall bearing capacity.

In the casting industry, liquid water glass is one of the commonly used sand binders. After sand mixing molding, sufficient dry strength can be established in a short period of time through CO ₂ gas hardening or heating dehydration, ensuring the accuracy of casting molding. Compared to organic binders, its advantages lie in good environmental friendliness, no harmful gas release, and partial reuse of old sand, reducing resource waste.

In the textile printing and papermaking industry, liquid water glass also plays an auxiliary role. For example, during the boiling process of cotton fabric, it helps to remove impurities and maintain a stable pH value in the bath solution; In the paper gluing process, it can improve the bonding strength between fibers and increase the stiffness of the finished paper. It should be noted that liquid water glass has certain requirements for storage conditions. Long term exposure to air will lead to absorption of carbon dioxide and gel, affecting the normal use effect. Therefore, it should be sealed and stored in a cool place to avoid freezing and contamination.