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Recent studies on the roles of silicate builders in detergent formulations
Author(s) -
Lange K. R.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02541333
Subject(s) - alkalinity , silicate , alkali metal , sodium , sodium silicate , corrosion , potassium silicate , potassium , chemistry , inorganic chemistry , chemical engineering , hydrate , materials science , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering
In today’s detergency silicates are called upon to perform more roles than in the past. The providing of alkalinity and soil suspension properties remain important, but the less obvious properties of silicates are often unrecognized. Interaction between silicates and phosphates in solution lead to enhanced builder properties over each component alone. Additionally, silicate acts to slow down the reversion of high‐molecular‐weight phosphates. Silicate solutions may be used to hydrate sodium tripolyphosphate commercially in order to provide useful particles containing both builders in easily soluble form. The alkalinity of sodium silicate may be used to convert sodium trimetaphosphate to tripolyphosphate, again providing a particle with both builders present. Silicates prevent corrosion of metals, especially in the presence of phosphates. This corrosion prevention is discussed in regard to the effect of alkali‐to‐silica ratio and the influence of neutral salts on the system. The prevention of insoluble formation can be achieved by increasing the quantity of silicate in the formulation or by providing a vapor‐barrier package. This paper also reviews the fundamental properties of sodium and potassium silicates that have importance from the standpoint of detergency.