POTASSIUM SILICATE

Potassium silicate is the potassium salt of silicic acid, and, in formulation, is readily absorbed by the plant. Silicon comprises 32% of the Earth’s crust, and silicic acid salts (silicates) are the most common form of silicon. Consequently exposure to silicates is widespread in activities involving contact with soil and natural water. The other part of the chemical, potassium is a required element for survival of both plants and animals, as is silicon. Potassium silicate is an active ingredient to be used as a fungicide, insecticide and miticide. Potassium silicate will be used as a broad spectrum, preventative fungicide with optimum control obtained when used under a scheduled preventative spray program. Potassium silicate also provides suppression of mites, whiteflies, and other insects. It is approved for use on agricultural crops, fruits, nuts, vines, turf and ornamentals. Potassium silicate is a soluble silicate. They can be produced over a wide range of stochiametric and non-stochiometric composition and are distinguished by the ratio of silica to alkali. Soluble silicates have a long history as adhesive and cements. These are used widely for palletizing, granulating and briquetting finely divided particles, eg. Ores, fertilizers and clays. The ability to form sols and gals is one of the most interesting and characteristic properties of soluble silicate. Potassium silicate being soluble silicate is a very important industrial chemical having varied uses, which will be discussed later on. It is sold either as glass or as liquids. Potassium silicates are important bonding agents in a large variety of ceramic cement and refractory applications because of their heat stability and resistance to chemicals. Potassium silicate has wide applications in coatings of many different substrates, such as metal and paper. Potassium silicate find extensive use as coatings cohere blooming (surface crystallization of sodium sulfate or carbonate) is a drawback. The resistance of potassium silicates to temperature above 550 deg.C makes them almost unique among industrial binders as five resistant adhesive, as impregnants for asbestos and other insulation and for paints resistance to high temperatures. Potassium silicate are also available in different grades and can be produced with no or different water molecules of crystallization. It is also available with different mole ratio of Sio2: K2 O varying from lowest 2.83 rations to 3.93. Solids and powders of potassium silicate are packed in drums, barrels, bags, cans and bottles: whereas solution is packed in tankers, drums, barrels and bottles. But, any case they must not be packed in aluminium galvanized iron or zinc containers otherwise chemical reaction between the metal and potassium silicate will take place and metal will be eaten way. Potassium is among the most abundant elements of the earth’s Crust (av K2O Central, 3.1%) at is an essential constituent of plants and animals; potassium ions play an important part in Cellular metabolism. Potassium as a metal is very similar to Sodium and the compounds of Potassium closely resemble to corresponding compounds of Sodium in chemical properties. Consequently there existed ancient world of Chemistry a good deal of confusion on the nomenclature of compound of sodium and potassium. The word potash has originally applied to potassium carbonated, the earliest known compound of Potassium, recovered from word ashes. In trade the term potash is now after applied to any compound which is sold in bulk for its potassium content. In the common practice to express the total figures on production and potassium content of ores and fertilizers in terms of equivalent K2O content. The principal potassium salts of commerce are the chloride and the sulphate. Potassium forms both organic and inorganic compounds. There are more than 110 compounds of potassium reported in chemical literature. The compounds of potassium find numerics application but there may as use is as fertilizer industry, which accounts for nearly 90% of the total prodution of potash chloride, sulphate and nitrate of potassium are the main potassic fertilizers of which the chloride is by far the most important.