What You Need To Know About Silicon Dioxide?

Silicon dioxide is a kind of inorganic compound, the chemical formula is SiO2, silicon atoms and oxygen atoms long range ordered to form crystalline silicon dioxide, short range ordered or long range disordered to form amorphous silicon dioxide.

The simplest form of silica is SiO2, but SiO2 does not represent a simple molecule (just the ratio of the number of atoms of silicon to oxygen in the silica crystal). Pure natural silica crystal, is a hard, brittle, insoluble colorless transparent solid, often used in the manufacture of optical instruments.

What is the structure of silicon dioxide？

SiO2 crystal structure is a spatial network structure of regular tetrahedron. It can be understood that an oxygen atom is inserted in the middle of two silicon atoms in the structure of crystal silicon. SiO2 of crystal is that each silicon atom combines with four oxygen atoms around to form four covalent bonds, and each oxygen atom forms a covalent bond with two silicon atoms around. This spreads and forms a firm network structure, which is crystal SiO2.

SiO2 structure characteristics

Silicon and carbon have similar properties, but the properties of their oxides are quite different. SiO2 is a three-dimensional network structure formed with silico-oxygen tetrahedron as the basic structure. In the crystal structure, four valence electrons of silicon atom form four covalent bonds with four oxygen atoms, Si atom is in the center of the regular tetrahedron, and O atom is in the vertex of the tetrahedron. Each silicon atom is connected to four oxygen atoms, and each oxygen atom is connected to two silicon atoms. The minimum ring in the crystal is composed of 12 atoms, and each silicon is shared by 6 rings. The ratio of silicon to oxygen atoms in the crystal is 1:2.

Do silicon dioxide conduct electricity?

Silicon dioxide is non-conductive. Silicon dioxide is an atomic crystal, connected by covalent bonds. It doesn't have conductive properties like ionic bonds or metallic bonds.

Processing technology of silica

1. Vapor phase silica vapor phase silica is a relatively high production process of silicon dioxide production method, this kind of silicon dioxide products are mainly used in some high quality products after production, such as some high-grade paints, coatings, etc. Gaseous silica is a kind of amorphous powder produced by hydrolyzing silicon chloride or trichloro-methylsilane in air and hydrogen gas mixture at high temperature. Gaseous silica can be divided into hydrophilic and hydrophobic types. At present, the main gaseous silica products are monopolized by large foreign companies.

2. Precipitation method of silicon dioxide precipitation method of silicon dioxide compared with the vapor phase method of silicon dioxide, the production process does not need a very high level of technology, the production of silicon dioxide in our country is mainly this way, precipitation method is the sodium silicate and sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid action, generate silicon acid, and then decompose to produce silicon dioxide products. Precipitation silica products can be used in many places, rubber, plastics, resins and so on.

3. Dissociation method of silicon dioxide dissociation method of silicon dioxide this production method, is currently an innovative method of silicon dioxide production, among which the dissociation method of silicon dioxide is divided into non-metallic ore method, gramineous plant method, by-product recovery method of 3 methods, these methods provide a new idea for the production of silicon dioxide products, there are some production methods can improve the quality of products, It can also reduce the production cost, and may become the mainstream production technology of silica products in the future.

What silicon dioxide is used for?

Silicon dioxide is one of the important inorganic new materials. With the research and exploration of silicon dioxide by people from all walks of life, silicon dioxide has a certain application in various fields, and also has an absolute position in some fields. It can be said that the application field of silicon dioxide is more and more extensive.

1. Rubber, plastic, paint field

Silica in the field of rubber, plastics, coatings, is a filler, can enhance its wear resistance;

2. Construction industry

Silica can be used as cement concrete, cementing material, road building raw materials, artificial marble, cement concrete process performance test raw materials, etc.

3. Metallurgical industry

Silicon dioxide is silicon metal, ferrosilicon alloy and silicon aluminum alloy raw materials or additives, flux;

4. Ceramics and refractory materials

Silicon dioxide is the porcelain embryo and glaze, kiln with high silicon brick, ordinary silicon brick and silicon carbide raw materials;

5. Medicine

Converting infrared light into ultraviolet and visible light by silica nanoparticles can inhibit tumor growth and manipulate gene expression.

6. Machinery industry

Silicon dioxide is the specific raw material of casting sand, grinding material;

7. Electronics industry

Silica can be used for high purity monocrystalline silicon (non-metallic materials), communication fiber, etc.

8. Glass industry

Silica is the specific raw material of plate glass, float glass, glass products (glass jars, glass bottles, glass tubes, etc.), optical glass, glass fibers, glass instruments, conductive glass, glass cloth and special anti-ray glass, etc.

9. Chemical Industry

Silicon dioxide is the raw material of silicon compounds and sodium silicate, the filling of sulfuric acid tower, the raw material of amorphous silicon dioxide powder.