Na-Silicates as Deflocculating Agents for Clays

In this paper the rheological behavior of clay aqueous suspensions added with various commercial sodium silicates is investigated, in order to evaluate their utilization as deflocculating agents in practical industrial applications. In the sample preparations the industrial experimental conditions have been reproduced as nearly as possible. The best deflocculating conditions of the studied clays were obtained by using a sodium silicate compound having a SiO//2/Na//2O molar ratio of 2/1. This may be explained, since this silicate is the most effective as pH corrector, as deflocculant cation sequestering agent and as colloidal protector.