Aluminium silicate (or aluminum silicate) is a name commonly applied to chemical compounds which are derived from aluminium oxide, Al2O3 and silicon dioxide, SiO2 which may be anhydrous or hydrated, naturally occurring as minerals or synthetic.
Contents
Uses
Aluminum silicate can be hydrated, or have water molecules associated with it, in which case, it forms a clay. Kaolin is the term for a group of clay minerals with the chemical formula of Al2O3.2SiO2.2H20. It forms a layer of two alternating crystals — one of silicon-oxygen and one of alumina. Kaolinite is the main constituent of kaolin.
Kaolin has been used for many years to control diarrhea and to dry poison ivy and poison oak rashes. It has also been used to treat diaper rash. Commercially, it has been important in the ceramics industry, particularly for the production of fine porcelain. It is also used to manufacture cement, bricks, and insulators, among other things.
Another compound found as a mineral and as a clay is magnesium aluminum silicate, which is composed of magnesium, aluminum, silica, and oxygen. In its mineral form, it is a type of garnet called pyrope, which is often used as a gemstone, and it is the only garnet to always be red in color. Its chemical formula is Mg3Al2(SiO4)3, although there are frequently trace amounts of other elements present.
The hydrated form is a mixture of clays, and this purified mixture is commonly used as an antacid. It is also used as a thickener in beauty products and cosmetics, and as an inactive ingredient in deodorants.
Sodium aluminum silicate is also referred to as sodium aluminosilicate and is composed of sodium, aluminum, silica, and oxygen. Two minerals of this type are albite and jadeite. Albite has the chemical formula of NaAlSi3O8, while that of jadeite is NaAlSi2O6. Albite is common in Earth’s crust, and breaks down under pressure to form jadeite and quartz. Jadeite is one of the types of minerals that make up the gemstone jade.
There is an industrial form of sodium aluminosilicate, known as synthetic amorphous sodium aluminosilicate, that contains water. This is a series of compounds and does not have a fixed chemical composition. It is used as an additive in powdered foods to keep lumps from forming.
Synthetic zeolites are prepared from this compound. These are minerals that are very porous and are used commercially as adsorbents. They are used primarily as laundry detergents, although they have a variety of other industrial uses.
Cautions
No side effects are known
Interactions
None are recorded.
Other names
aluminum silicate
References
Source: Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium_silicate
WiseGeek, http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-aluminum-silicate.htm