Precipitated Silica: Uses and Production Process

 Precipitated silica is a form of synthetic and amorphous silica and it is derived from the quartz-sand that is the crystal form of the silicon dioxide. The physical properties can be manipulated rather easily while it is in the process of manufacturing in order to further deliver products that has plethora of features that’s needed to enhance its features, that are engineered specifically for various end-usage applications, like the Silica from Rice Husk Ash.

The precipitated silica is used in several industries which include:

• Industrial rubber – Precipitated Silica for Rubber
• Precipitated silica for tires
• Silicone rubber
• Footwear
• Agricultural products
• Coatings, paints and inks
• Adhesives and sealants
• Footwear

Here’s a small brief of the whole process constituting how precipitated silica is prepared:

• Precipitation. First of all, the sodium silicate solution and mineral acid is allowed to properly react with each other in an agitated vessel to further produce a slurry of this amorphous silica particles. The critical physical-properties of this precipitated silica-like particle porosity and the size is controlled closely while this stage is being processed during manufacturing, by specifically manipulating the composition, concentration, and also the ratio of reactants that are in that solution which whole be later precipitated, the speed of the agitation, the time of whole reaction process, and the temperature of the reaction process.
• Washing. Further, the precipitated slurry of this silica is then concentrated to further form a filter cake. This silica cake is further washed off in order to get rid of the salt-byproduct.
• Drying. Then the filter silica cake is dried off to the desired content moisture-content to get the silica from rice husk ash.