Silica or silicon dioxide with the chemical formula SiO2 is a mineral that is mostly found in the form of sand or quartz. This substance makes up about a quarter of the earth’s crust and is known as one of the most abundant minerals on the planet. In many parts of the world silica is found as silica sand. Silica has many applications in various industries including food industry, glass making, ceramic and making fire extinguishers. In the course of the article, we will try to examine its applications in industries after getting familiar with silica.
?What are the uses of silica
Silica is the main ingredient of glass. Silica in the form of quartz is used in glass making. Today, glass is used in many aspects of human life. It is used in making containers, construction and electronic industries. Of course, silica is of great importance as a component of the glass structure in these industries. Silica sand is used in making glass, it is a white powder. Silica sand must contain at least 95% silica and less than six tenths of iron oxide to be classified as silica sand. Making glass is a relatively simple and straightforward process. In this way, its ingredients are mixed together and then melted.
Cement production: Silica sand is widely used in the construction industry, especially cement. The use of silica makes cement stronger and for this reason it is used in structures such as bridges, towers and residential buildings.
Sandblasting: Another use of silica sand is sandblasting. Due to its high resilience, silica sand grains can be sprayed on the desired surface at a high speed and after hitting the surface a smooth texture will remain. Sandblasting is used in the preparation of surfaces before painting, as well as in the restoration of metals.
Water treatment: The use of silica in water treatment is also very common. By using silica, it is possible to purify the waste materials in the water and obtain clean water, which can later be available to domestic and industrial consumers.
Sports field: Another use of silica sand is its use in sports fields. For example, silica sand is used in beach volleyball courts. The woven texture of silica sand is such that it creates a soft and flexible surface which can create a very favorable environment for athletes. Silica sand is also used for the construction of children’s playgrounds due to its soft and flexible texture. Silica can prevent children from getting hurt while playing.
Making ceramics: Silica is also used in making ceramics. Silica is used to strengthen the body of ceramics. This material can create the necessary strength due to the creation of bonds between other ceramic ingredients. The melting point of silica also reaches about 1600 degrees Celsius.
Oil and gas industries: One of the concerns in oil extraction is splitting rock surfaces and reaching the layers of oil below. By using silica sand and using it in hydraulic fracturing systems, extraction efficiency and effectivity can be increased.
Agricultural industry: due to its porous structure, silica sand can deliver water correctly and evenly to the roots of plants, and the nutrients needed by plants will be better available to them in this way.
Manufacturing: One of the other uses of silica sand is to create a suitable texture for polishing pastes. Polishing pastes should have a rough texture so that when rubbed on surfaces, they can create a polished and uniform surface by removing a thin layer of it.
Electronics industry: Silica is one of the main materials used in making chips and chipsets. Since silica sand is considered a semiconductor, as a result, it is a very suitable material for the production of parts. In addition, due to the abundance of this material on the planet earth, it is easy to obtain and the cost of production can be reduced.
A few points about silica
One of the dangers associated with silica sand is its inhalation. This substance can lead to lung diseases if inhaled repeatedly. For this reason, it is necessary to take safety measures in the industries where this material is used.
Beach sand and silica sand have major differences, which is precisely because of these special differences that silica sand is used in various industries.
In addition to the applications discussed in this article, recently extensive research is being done on silica. The research includes the use of silica in nanotechnology, 3D printing and renewable energy. Because of these researches, it is hoped that crucial changes will occur in these areas in the future.
Conclusion
It seems that just as silica has served humans since the distant past, in the future, this mineral will strengthen its position in various industries. Fortunately, silica is found in abundance in the earth, and for this reason, it has been highly regarded and used. Nowadays, we cannot imagine life without this mineral. Without silica, construction, electronic industry, paint industry, etc. will not exist in their current form, and there needs to be extensive changes in our lifestyle. New research is also looking for more features and functions for this valuable mineral every day.
