SILLICON AND SILLICATES

Silicon

Nonmetallic to semimetallic chemical element, chemical symbol Si, atomic number 14. It never
occurs free but is found in almost all rocks and in sand, clay, and soils, combined with oxygen as
silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2) or with oxygen and metals as silicate minerals. It occurs in many
plants and some animals. Pure silicon is a hard, dark gray solid with a metallic luster and the
same crystal structure as diamond. It is an extremely important semiconductor; doped with
boron, phosphorus, or arsenic, it is used in various electronic circuit and switching devices,
including computer chips, transistors, and diodes. Silicon is also used in metallurgy as a reducing
agent and in steel, brass, and bronze. Its usual valence in compounds is 4.

Silica
Silica is the scientific name for a group of minerals made of silicon and oxygen. Silica is found
in most mineral deposits in the world in both crystalline and non-crystalline (amorphous) forms.
Crystalline silica has its oxygen and silicon atoms arranged in a three-dimensional repeating
pattern. Amorphous forms of silica have a random pattern. Crystalline silica occurs in several
forms, including quartz, cristobalite and tridymite. Quartz is the most common form of
crystalline silica.

Silica is a major component of sand, rock, and mineral ores and is the second most common
mineral in the earth’s crust. The generic term refers to the chemical compound silicon dioxide
(SiO 2) . Crystalline silica is essentially insoluble in water, but its solubility is increased with
heating or increasing pH. It also reacts with most metallic oxides.
Silica is used in the form of sand and clay for many purposes; as quartz, it may be heated to form
special glasses.

Sillicates

When silicon is mixed with other elements, the compound is often known as a silicate. Silicates
are extremely abundant, and are used in a wide range of industrial processes. They can be heated
or treated with other chemical compounds to release their silicon or to bind with other materials
for various purposes. When alloyed with metal, silicon increases the strength and hardness of the
metal. Most industries use silicates in their products to make them stronger and more durable.
Silicon is also commonly used as a base material for sealers and some types of synthetic oils.

Silicone

Silicone which is a chemical compound. Silicone contains silicon, and harnesses many of its
mineral properties. Silicone is used in soaps and medical implants, insulators and synthetic
materials. Non stick baking supplies, sealers, and shields for electrical components are also made
from silicone, which is a highly durable, flexible compound.

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Glass
The raw materials used in the making of glass materials are obtained from the earth's crust. Silica
or silicon(IV) dioxide, SiO2, form the most important component of glass. In the SiO2 molecule,
each silicon atom is held in a tetrahedral structure by four oxygen atoms. Each oxygen atom is
held by two silicon atoms. This is repeated until a giant three-dimensional molecule results.
It is a mixture of two or more types of metallic silicates but the main component is silicon(IV)
dioxide.

Glass has the following properties:

1. Transparent and not porous

2. Inactive chemically
3. Can be cleaned easily
4. Good insulators of heat and electricity
5. Hard and brittle
6. Can withstand compression but not pressure

Due to the above reasons and the low cost involved to produce glass, it is used in industry to
make bottles, cooking utensils, plates and bowls, laboratory apparatus (such as conical flask,
beakers and test tubes), window panes, bulbs and others. Different types of glass can be
obtained depending on the composition of substances in it.

Soda lime glass:

- obtained when limestone (CaCO3) and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) are mixed with
molten silica and cooled down.
- known as soft glass
- it has a low melting point.
- Most glass produced is soda lime glass.
- it breaks easily
- mainly used to make kitchen utensils.

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Lead glass:
- formed when a mixture of lead(II) oxide, sodium oxide and silica is heated
together.
- contains a higher percentage of PbO.
- Its refractive index and density being high,
- it has a glittering and attractive surface
- also called crystal glass.
Borosilicate glass:
- Boron oxide (B2O3) and sodium carbonate is added to molten silica to obtain
borosilicate glass or pyrex..
- The presence of B2O3 makes the glass able to withstand high temperatures and chemical
reaction.
- It does not break easily, thus it is used to make laboratory apparatus and cooking utensils.
Fused silicate glass:
- Sand (silica) is heated until it melts at 1700°C, and the viscous liquid is cooled
immediately. This produces a transparent solid with an uneven arrangement of atoms,
called fused silicate glass.
- This glass cannot expand or contract easily when there are temperature changes.
- It’s has a high melting point.
- It is known as quartz glass.
The latest use of glass is to make photochromic glass and conducting glass
Photochromic glass
 Photochromic glass is very sensitive to light. It darkens in the presence of bright light and
lightens when the amount of sunlight lessens.
The glass is produced by adding silver chloride (or silver bromide) and some copper(II)
chloride to normal glass. Silver halides decompose to silver and its halogen when exposed to
ultraviolet rays. It is silver which makes the glass become dark. When there is a decrease in
light, silver chloride is formed again. Therefore the glass lightens.
Conducting glass
 Conducting glass is a type of glass which can conduct electricity. It is obtained by coating
a thin layer of a conducting material around the glass, usually indium tin(IV) oxide or ITO.
 Conducting glass can also be obtained by embedding thin gold strips into a piece of glass.
This is used to make the front windows of aeroplanes which tend to mist at very high heights.
By passing an electric current through this glass (containing gold as conductors), the water of
condensation will dry up.

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Summary
Glass Composition Properties Uses

• Low melting point

(700°C)
SiO2 – 70%
Na20 – 15% • Mouldable into shapes Glass containers, Glass panes, Mirrors,
Soda lime,glass
CaO – 10% Lamps and bulbs, Plates and bowls Bottles
• Cheap
Others – 4%
• Breakable
• Can withstand high heat

• High density and

refractive index
• Glittering surface Containers for drinks and fruit
SiO2 – 70%
Lead glass
Na20 – 20%
(crystal) Decorative glass and lamps
PbO – 10% • Soft
• Low melting point Crystal glassware Lenses for spectacles

(600°C)

• Resistant to high heat

SiO2 – 80%
and chemical reaction
Glass apparatus in laboratories
Borosilicate glass
B203 – 13%
(Pyrex) • Does not break easily
Na2O – 4% Cooking utensils
• Allows infra-red rays but
Al203 – 2%
not ultra-violet rays

• High melting point

(1700°C)
Scientific apparatus like lenses on
SiO2 – 99% • Expensive
Fused silicate
spectrometer
glass • Allows ultraviolet light to
6203 - 1% Optical lenses
pass through
Laboratory apparatus
• Difficult to melt or mould
into shape