Silicates are a broad family of materials built from silicon and oxygen and are among the most abundant mineral structures in the earth’s crust. In nature, silicates occur in rocks, soils, sediments, and living organisms, and they play an important role in the global cycling of silicon. Industrial silicates are produced in a range of forms and are used because their chemistry and structure can be tailored to deliver specific performance in many different systems.
In products and processes, silicates can provide functions such as binding, strengthening, controlling flow and viscosity, improving stability, and enhancing durability. Depending on the type of silicate and how it is manufactured, these materials can be incorporated into industrial formulations and consumer applications where reliable, consistent performance is needed.
Common silicates include sodium silicate, potassium silicate, lithium silicate, sodium & potassium metasilicates, and calcium silicate.