Editing Sodium silicate (section)

=== Coatings ===

Sodium silicate may be used for various paints and coatings, such as those used on [[welding rod]]s. Such coatings can be cured in two ways. One method is to heat a thin layer of sodium silicate into a gel and then into a hard film. To make the coating water-resistant, high temperatures of {{convert|100|C|F K}} are needed.<ref name=":0" /> The temperature is slowly raised to {{convert|150|C|F K}} to dehydrate the film and avoid steaming and blistering. The process must be relatively slow, but infrared lamps may be used at first.<ref name=":0" /> In the other method, when high temperatures are not practical, the water resistance may be achieved by chemicals (or [[ester]]s), such as [[boric acid]], [[phosphoric acid]], [[sodium fluorosilicate]], and [[aluminium phosphate]].<ref name=":0" /> Before application, an aqueous solution of sodium silicate is mixed with a curing agent.<ref name=":0" />

It is used in detergent auxiliaries such as complex sodium disilicate and modified sodium disilicate. The detergent granules gain their ruggedness from a coating of silicates.<ref name=Ullmann/>