Silica Sand for Glass Production

Posted by Sagar Chauhan
7
Apr 10, 2017
90 Views
Silica or (SiO2) is a chemical compound that consists of two oxygen atoms and one silicon. Quartz, made of silica sand, is fragmented into tiny granules over time with the help of water and wind. Apart from quartz, several other minerals are made of silica including tridymite, cristobalite, and other silica minerals. The commercial silica sand is mainly used in glassmaking, metal casting, metal production, chemical production, construction, paint, coatings, ceramics & refractory, filtration, water production, recreational products, electronics, oil & gas recovery, and several others. The silica sand can also be used for the production of renewable materials.

Amongst all its other uses, the most common one is glassmaking. Most industries, be it is corporate sector or public sector, make use of the quartz silica sand for the production of glass. If you want to get an insight into the making of glassmaking by using the silica sand, then keep reading further.

Procedure Of Glass Production By Using Silica Sand
The glass is composed of soda ash, sand, and limestone. When sand and soda ash are heated at a very high temperature of approx. 3,092 degrees Fahrenheit along with limestone to form glass. However, various other additives and minerals are added to the molten glass in order to tailor the properties of the final product. Amongst all other minerals and components, the major ingredient in the making of glass is silica sand. The silica sand is available in various countries including Australia, Africa, Egypt, Indonesia, China, India, and several others. During the composition of glass, the manufacturer may need to make certain alterations to change its appearance. For example, the producer of glass may add a coating to it so that it can withstand high temperatures. The glass melts due to high temperatures that allow the manufacturer to mould it into different types of shapes and sizes.

The primary component of standard or specialty glass manufacturing is the silica sand. The essential SiO2 component present in the silica sand is the prominent determinant of the color, strength, and clarity of the finished product. In the glass manufacturing factories, the mixture of all the raw materials are kept into the furnaces for about 24 hours to form glass. After the completion of 24 hours, the glass is taken out of the furnace for the further procedure of refinement. The industrial silica sand is used for the manufacturing flat glass for automotive or building use. Moreover, industries also use silica sand for producing the container glasses for beverages, tableware, and food. The ground silica is used for the production of reinforcement of and insulation of glass fibers. It is also used in specialty glass applications including fluorescent lamps, test tubes, television, computer CRT monitors, and several other scientific tools.

By now, you must be completely acquainted with the procedure of producing different types of glass by using silica sand. Most industries prefer to purchase only quartz silica sand for glass production. You can find various suppliers of genuine and pure silica sand online. Make sure you select a reliable supplier for getting purest silica sand.
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