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The Uses of Sodium Silicate

May 25, 2010 | By Owen Pearson

Sodium silicate is a chemical compound made by melting sodium carbonate and silicon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is released as a byproduct. Sodium silicate is commonly known as "liquid glass," and is water soluble. When placed in an acidic solution and heated, it becomes silica gel, a common desiccant, or drying agent, used in packaging for electronics and other goods. Sodium silicate has a variety of industrial and culinary uses.

Egg Storage

Sodium silicate can be used in storing and preserving eggs, according to the Mother Earth News website. Mother Earth News conducted a seven-month experiment using fertile, unwashed homestead eggs and infertile, store-bought eggs preserved in several ways, including submersion in a solution nine parts water and one part sodium silicate. Although not all of the sodium silicate eggs survived the experiment, the fertile eggs preserved in the sodium silicate solution fared much better than those preserved by other means.

Dye Fixative

Sodium silicate can be used as a replacement for soda ash in fixing dye to textile fibers, writes Paula Burch, author of "All About Hand Dyeing." This process only works on fiber-reactive dyes, including Remazol and Procion MX. It does not work on all-purpose dyes.
To use, dye your desired fabric, and let it dry. Paint on a coat of sodium silicate, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it sit for one hour. Wash the fabric to remove the sodium silicate.

Engine Disabling

Liquid glass was poured into the engines of cars traded in under the U.S. government's "Cash for Clunkers" program, Kevin Helliker reported in 2009 for the "Wall Street Journal." Dealers who took in old cars in exchange for rebates on new ones under the program were required to disable the old cars' engines so they could not be resold. When a treated engine is started, the heat dries out the sodium silicate. The solid sodium silicate causes the engine to seize, ruins the moving parts, and plugs oil passages, causing irreversible damage.

Masonry Waterproofing

Sodium silicate can be used to waterproof concrete walls and floors, often in basements. The compound penetrates up to 4 inches beneath the surface of concrete, according to website InspectAPedia. It then reacts with the lime content in the concrete, forming a solid crystalline material that fills cracks and pores to prevent water penetration. This method helps prevent both moisture and mold. The concrete surface should be free of paint, dirt, oils, or other debris before you apply sodium silicate.

References

Article reviewed by Will McCahill Last updated on: May 25, 2010

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