science

Precipitated silica

Precipitated silica is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Precipitated silica rather than just read about it. In short: Precipitated silica is an amorphous form of silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2). It is a white, powdery material produced by precipitation from a solution containing silicate salts.

Key takeaways

Precipitated silica belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Precipitated silica to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Precipitated silica from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Precipitated silica is an amorphous form of silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2). It is a white, powdery material produced by precipitation from a solution containing silicate salts. The three main classes of amorphous silica are pyrogenic silica, precipitated silica and silica gel. Among them, precipitated silica has the greatest commercial significance. In 1999, more than one million tons were produced, half of it is used in tires and shoe soles. Like pyrogenic silica, precipitated silica is essentially not microporous (unless prepared by the Stöber process).

Production The production of precipitated silica starts with the reaction of a basic silicate solution with a mineral acid. Sulfuric acid and sodium silicate solutions are added simultaneously with agitation to water. Precipitation is carried out under acidic or basic conditions. The choice of agitation, duration of precipitation, the addition rate of reactants, their temperature and concentration and pH can vary the properties of the resulting silica. The formation of a gel stage is avoided by stirring at elevated temperatures. The resulting white precipitate is filtered, washed and dried in the manufacturing process in order to wash out the produced salts.

Na2(SiO2)7 + H2SO4 + O → 7 SiO2 + Na2SO4 + H2O Na2SiO3 + H2SO4 → SiO2 + Na2SO4 + H2O

Properties The particles are porous. Primary structures typically have a diameter of 5 - 100 nm, and specific surface area 5–100 m2/g. Agglomerate size is 1 - 40 μm with average pore size is > 30 nm. Density: 1.9 - 2.1 g/cm3.

Applications Filler, softener and performance improvement in rubber and plastics Cleaning, thickening and polishing agent in toothpastes for oral health care Food processing and pharmaceuticals additive as anti-caking, thickening agent, absorbent to make liquids into powders. Food rheology modifier Defoamer

See related companies Fujian Sanming Zheng Yuan Chemical Co., Ltd. Anten Chemical Co., Ltd. PPG Industries Co. Evonik Industries AG Pak Chromical Ltd., (PCL)

See also Colloidal silica Fumed silica Hydrophobic silica Silica gel

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Precipitated silica

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Precipitated silica claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Precipitated silica before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Precipitated silica ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Precipitated silica

In research: Precipitated silica appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Precipitated silica in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Precipitated silica is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Plasticizers, Silicon dioxide, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Precipitated silica outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Precipitated silica in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Precipitated silica means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Precipitated silica out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Precipitated silica in simple terms?

Precipitated silica is an amorphous form of silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2). It is a white, powdery material produced by precipitation from a solution containing silicate salts.

Why does Precipitated silica matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Precipitated silica?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Precipitated silica.