Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate

### Introduction to sodium metasilicate nine hydrate

Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate, also known as sodium silicate hydrahydrate, is a white square crystal with an odorless, salty chemical. It has the chemical formula Na2SiO3·9H2O and contains up to 58% crystalline water. At 20 °C, its solubility is 38 g/100 g of water, and the dissolution rate is relatively fast. However, crystal water is released at 30-40°C, which can be inconvenient for use and prone to autolysis compaction during storage. The aqueous solution of sodium metasilicate nine hydrate is alkaline, and has the ability of decontamination, emulsification, dispersion, wetting, permeability and pH buffering. It is soluble in water and dilute lye, insoluble in alcohols and acids. Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate has a wide range of applications in ceramics and other industries, and the demand is stable, about 7-100,000 tons per year.

### The role of sodium metasilicate pentahydrate in the ceramic industry

1. **Improve the quality of ceramics**: Sodium metasilicate nine hydrate can effectively reduce the sintering temperature of ceramics, improve the density and mechanical properties of ceramics, so as to produce higher quality ceramic products. It can improve the strength and density of the product, making the product harder, wear-resistant, compression-resistant, and permeation-resistant, while improving the gloss and transparency of the product.

2. **Simplify the production process**: After using sodium metasilicate nonahydrate, only one high temperature treatment is needed in the ceramic production process to achieve the same effect as the traditional multiple high temperature treatment, which saves time and energy, reduces production costs and improves production efficiency.

3. **Improve the stability and durability of ceramics**: Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate helps to improve the stability and durability of ceramics, enhance the thermal shock resistance and corrosion resistance of ceramics, and prolong their service life.

4. **As binder, defoamer and brightener**: Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate can be used as a binder for porcelain, making the shape of porcelain more complete and firm; As a defoamer, it prevents the formation of bubbles during the porcelain production process; As well as as a brightener, making porcelain smoother and brighter.

5. **Reduce production costs**: Sodium metasilicate nonahydrate can replace some porcelain clay and other raw materials, reduce losses and waste in the production process, and thus reduce costs.

6. **Improve the strength of the green body and reduce the damage rate of the green body**: The excellent dispersion performance and pH buffering ability of sodium metasilicate of nonahydrate and the ability to soften water make the ceramic slurry show good fluidity in the stable state of pH = 10.5, improve the strength of the green body, and reduce the damage rate of the green body.

To sum up, sodium metasilicate nonahydrate plays an important role in the ceramic industry, which can not only improve the quality of products, reduce production costs, but also improve production efficiency, and is an indispensable material in ceramic production.