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Silica gel is irritating to the respiratory tract and may cause irritation of the digestive tract. Dust from the beads may cause irritation to the skin and eyes, so precautions should be taken. [33] Crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, but synthetic amorphous silica gel is indurated, so it does not cause
Hydrated silica is a form of silicon dioxide, which has a variable amount of water in the formula. When dissolved in water, it is usually known as silicic acid . It is found in nature as opal [ 2 ] (which has been mined as a gemstone for centuries), and in the cell walls of diatoms .
Microcrystalline silica consists of minute quartz crystals bonded together with amorphous silica. Examples include flint and chert . Amorphous silica consists of kieselgur ( diatomite ), from the skeletons of diatoms , and vitreous silica, produced by heating and then rapid cooling of crystalline silica.
In acidic solutions, the silicate ions react with hydrogen ions to form silicic acids, which tend to decompose into hydrated silicon dioxide gel. [citation needed] Heated to drive off the water, the result is a hard translucent substance called silica gel, widely used as a desiccant. It can withstand temperatures up to 1100 °C. [citation needed]
Precipitated silica or amorphous silica is produced by the acidification of solutions of sodium silicate. The gelatinous precipitate or silica gel, is first washed and then dehydrated to produce colorless microporous silica. [15] The idealized equation involving a trisilicate and sulfuric acid is:
Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica (SiO 2 ·nH 2 O); its water content may range from 3% to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6% and 10%. Due to the amorphous (chemical) physical structure, it is classified as a mineraloid, unlike crystalline forms of silica, which are considered minerals.
Colloidal silicas are most often prepared in a multi-step process where an alkali-silicate solution is partially neutralized, leading to the formation of silica nuclei. The subunits of colloidal silica particles are typically in the range of 1 to 5 nm. Whether or not these subunits are joined depends on the conditions of polymerization.
The first crystalline silicic acid was prepared from the phyllosilicate natrosilite (Na 2 Si 2 O 5) in 1924. More than 15 crystalline acids are known and comprise at least six modifications of H 2 Si 2 O 5. Some acids can adsorb and intercalate organic molecules, and therefore are interesting alternatives to silica. [10]