LITHIUM POLYSILICATE CAS:12627-14-4

Lithium silicate (chemical formula Li₂SiO₃) is an inorganic compound composed of lithium, silicon, and oxygen, typically appearing as a white powder or a colorless, transparent liquid. As a soluble silicate, it dissolves readily in water at room temperature; its aqueous solution is weakly alkaline and exhibits excellent film-forming properties, as well as resistance to heat, water, and chemical corrosion. Compared to other alkali metal silicates (such as sodium silicate or potassium silicate), the most distinctive feature of lithium silicate is the “self-drying” nature of its aqueous solution: upon water evaporation, it forms a hard, water-insoluble film through an irreversible transformation process. Additionally, the solution has low viscosity and allows for a high molar ratio of SiO₂ to Li₂O, resulting in superior stability and weather resistance.

Lithium silicate has a wide range of applications. In the construction industry, it serves as a key raw material for water-based inorganic zinc-rich coatings, widely used for the long-term corrosion protection of steel structures; as a concrete sealer and hardener, it significantly enhances floor hardness and abrasion resistance without causing efflorescence. In the realm of industrial materials, it is used as a high-performance adhesive and as an additive for premium welding electrodes and specialty glass-ceramics. In the new energy sector, lithium silicate and its derivatives act as lithium-replenishing agents for lithium batteries, playing a vital role in boosting energy density and cycle life.

 

Preparation method

The wet chemical method is currently the most widely used industrial preparation technique, featuring a relatively mature process. This method begins by reacting sodium silicate (water glass) with sulfuric acid to produce hydrated silicic acid and sodium sulfate. Subsequently, the hydrated silicic acid reacts with lithium hydroxide (LiOH) to form lithium silicate and water. Finally, impurities such as sodium sulfate are removed via filtration, and the solution is concentrated to yield a pure aqueous lithium silicate solution.

The sol-gel method is a synthesis technique that utilizes silica sol as the silicon source. In this process, an aqueous lithium hydroxide solution is mixed with an alkaline silica sol in specific proportions and reacted under heating in the presence of a catalyst. This method operates under relatively mild reaction conditions and allows for easy control over product particle size and structure; it enables the production of lithium silicate with varying molar ratios and solid contents, making it particularly suitable for preparing high-purity, specialty lithium silicate materials.

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