PQ Corporation - Applications Support

Glossary

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Abrasion		The removal of surface material from any solid through the frictional action of another solid, liquid or gas or combination thereof.[Top]
Absorption		The penetration of one substance into the inner structure of another, such as a liquid into a solid or gas into a liquid.
Absorptive Silicate		A silicate or silica derived material that absorbs liquids or gases, e.g. anhydrous glass absorbs moisture, or silica gel absorbs materials because of its pore structure.
Acetate		(1) The official name for the textile fiber produced from partially hydrolyzed cellulose acetate. Formerly known as acetate rayon. (2) A chemical compound (a salt of acetic acid).
Acid		Any of a class of chemical compounds whose aqueous solutions turn blue litmus paper red; acids react with and dissolve certain metals to form salts. (pH is less than 7)
Acrylonitrile		A colorless liquid compound used in the manufacture of acrylic rubber and fibers. Also know as vinyl cyanide.
Activated Silica Sol		Used as a coagulant aid in water treatment. Can be formed by reacting high ratio sodium silicates with materials such as alum, ammonium sulfate, acid, ferric chloride or ferric sulfate.
Active Alkali		The amount of sodium hydroxide or alkali available to readily enter into a chemical reaction.
Adhesion		The state in which two surfaces are held together by interfacial forces.
Adhesive		A substance used to bond two substances together by surface attachment. Examples are resins, formaldehyde, glue, paste, cement, putty and polyvinyl resin emulsions. Silicates act as adhesives in the formation of paper fiber drums and tubes.
Adsorbent		A solid or liquid that holds other substances on its surface, for example, charcoal, silica, metals, water and mercury.
Adsorption		The adherence of one substance on the surface of another.
Agents		Materials or substances added to products to enhance performance or extend shelf life; for example, flow conditioning agents for hygroscopic powders.
Agglomeration		A technique that combines small or powdered materials into larger particles or granules usually employing some type of liquid binders such as silicates. Heating is sometimes associated with this process.
Aging		The process of determining the stability of a product or mixtures of materials over a period of time. In some cases, the aging process can be accelerated by exposing the substances to variations in temperature.
Air		A mixture of gases primarily composed of nitrogen and oxygen. Important in the area of air pollution in conjunction with gas effluent from stacks at plant locations.
Alcohol		A broad class of hydroxyl-containing organic compounds (generic abbreviation ROH).
Alkali		Silicate Any soluble silicate; silicates that are basic or alkaline in nature.
Alkaline		Flooding A process used in the oil industry whereby an alkaline solution is injected into dry wells in an attempt to force the remaining oil out of the rock and sandy soils.
Alkoxide		A compound formed by the reaction of an alcohol with an alkali metal.
Alum		Aluminum sulfate, Al₂(SO₄)₃ or Al₂(SO₄)₃.18H₂O, typically supplied as a dry powder or as a 48.5% aqueous solution, used as a paper sizing and as a primary coagulant in water treatment.
Alumina		The native form of aluminum oxide occurring as corundum or in hydrated forms as a powder or crystalline substance.
Alumina Monohydrate		A form of alumina containing one water of hydration and purchased as Dispal M by Nyacol for use in the production of a dispensable alumina, AL-20.
Aluminate		A negative ion, usually assigned the formula AIO2-, and derived from aluminate in the form of rhombic crystals.
Alumina Trihydrate		A white powder insoluble in water but soluble in hydrochloric and sulfuric acids or sodium hydroxide. Used in the production of zeolite. (Abbreviated ATH)
Aluminosilicate		A colorless crystalline combination of silicate and aluminate in the form of rhombic crystals
Aluminum		A chemical element, symbol Al, atomic number 13, and atomic weight 26.98. Important elemental material in conjunction with PQ products.
Amine		One of a class of organic compounds which can be considered to be derived from ammonia by replacement of one or more hydrogen by organic radicals.
Ammonium Sulfate		Colorless rhombic crystals which melt at 1400C and are soluble in water.
Amorphous		Noncrystalline, having neither definite form nor structure.
Analysis		The determination of the chemical and/or physical composition of a substance, or mixture of components.
Analytical Research		The application of scientific principles for the determination of the chemical and/or physical properties of a substance.
Anhydrous		Without water. Sodium silicate SS powders are ground glass and contain no water.
Antacids		Any substance that counteracts or neutralizes acidity.
Anti-caking		The process of treating materials with substances or additives to prevent the unwanted agglomeration or lumping of material usually caused by moisture pickup and temperature variation upon storage.
Anti-skid		A substance or treatment applied to a surface to prevent or reduce slippage.
Anti-slip		Similar to anti-skid. Usually a colloidal silica or alumina applied to surfaces to increase the frictional effect when one surface rubs against another (paper or linerboard).
Anti-soil		A substance or treatment usually applied to a fibrous surface that prevents or reduces pickup of dirt and soils.
Anti-static		A material used with textiles, plastics, paper products, or wax polishes to reduce static-electrical charges by modifying the surface.
Antimony Oxide		Colorless rhombic crystals, melting at 656⁰C; insoluble in water; powerful reducing agent. Colloidal dispersions of this material are produced by Nyacol, and are used in flame retardant applications.
Aqueous		Containing water; a water solution.
Arsenic		A chemical element, symbol As, atomic number 33, atomic weight 74.92. A brittle toxic steel-gray hexagonal mineral, the native form of the element.
Asbestos		A general name for the fibrous varieties of a number of magnesium silicate minerals that are heat resistant and chemically inert. Previously used extensively for fire proofing and insulating. However, the fibrous nature of the material makes it very carcinogenic.
Ash		Referring to soda ash. Sodium carbonate; the principle alkaline raw material used in the production of sodium silicates. Purity of this material is a primary concern to insure good quality silicate products.
Atomic		Absorption A process by which elemental materials are excited by an energy source, absorbing this energy and then releasing it in one form or another. In spectroscopy, the energy release is light wave related and can be detected with the appropriate sensor and measured.
Atomizing Nozzle		A device that produces a mechanical subdivision of a bulk liquid, as by spraying, sprinkling, misting or nebulizing. The design and construction of the nozzle are important parameters in producing products of specific particle size and density.
Autobody Fillers		A patching putty compound used for sealing holes and imperfections on metal surfaces, primarily automobiles. They are composed of unsaturated polyester resin with either talc or microspheres, depending on the final density desired.
Autoclave		An airtight vessel for heating and sometimes agitating its contents under high steam pressure; used for industrial processing, sterilization and cooking with moist or dry heat at high temperatures. Silicate glasses can be dissolved in water using this technique.
Automatic Titrator		A mechanical device that can perform chemical acid-base titrations thus eliminating some of the human error resulting from a manual titration method. Either a sensor or pH electrode is employed in the measurement and determination of the endpoint.
Backing		In relationship to carpet, backing which can contain silica derived products such as strengtheners, fillers and antistat formulations.[Top]
Baume’		An arbitrary scale of specific gravities devised by French chemist Antoine Baume’ and used in the graduation of hydrometers. Historically used for measuring densities of silicates. (Abbreviated o Be’)
Bauxite		A whitish, grayish, brown, yellow or reddish-brown rock composed of hydrous aluminum oxides and aluminum hydroxides and containing impurities such as free silica, silt, iron hydroxides, and clay minerals; the principle commercial source of aluminum.
Bentonite		An aluminosilicate clay formed from volcanic ash decomposition and largely composed of montmorillonite. Used as a thickening agent in former PQ quaternary ammonium silicate products.
Binders		A material used to hold particles together and provide mechanical strength or to insure uniform consistency, solidification, or adhesion to a surface coating; typical binders are resin, glue, gum, silicate and casein.
Bleaching		The act of removing the color from a substance or surface. A bleach liquor is a water solution of sodium or calcium hypochlorite used as a laundry and textile bleach, germicide, and deodorant.
Blending		The process by which two or more components are intimately mixed so the parts are indistinguishable from one another.
Board		Paperboard or linerboard used in the production of corrugated or cardboard boxes.
Body Fillers		Organic resins made into putty, containing lightweight or other fillers used for repairing metal parts, usually automobile bodies.
Boilers		A high temperature water heater used for the generation of steam. Silicates are sometimes used as corrosion inhibitors in this application.
Borate		A generic term referring to the salts or esters of boric acid.
Borate Silicate		A silicate solution that has been modified by the addition of some type of boron compound. This usually reduces the shelf life of the silicate but may enhance performance.
Borax		A white, yellow, blue gray or green borate mineral that is an ore of boron and occurs as an efflorescence or in monoclinic crystals. Sodium tetraborate decahydrate.
Boric Acid		Acid derived from boric oxide in the form of white triclinic crystals, melting at 1850C and soluble in water. Also known as boracic acid; orthoboric acid.
Borosilicate		Silicate solution modified with a boron component, specifically prepared for the applications in the paper industry. These materials typically have a reduced shelf life and low solids content when compared to normal sodium silicates.
Boxboard		Paperboard used in the fabrication of boxes. Same as board.
Brewing		The process of making beer, ale or other malt beverages by boiling mashed malt to produce a wort, flavoring the wort with hops, fermenting this mixture with yeast, and drawing off the fermented wort for bottling.
Brick		A building material usually made from clay, molded as a rectangular block, and baked or burned in a kiln.
Brine		A concentrated salt solution.
Briquetting		The process of binding together pulverized minerals, such as coal dust, into briquettes under pressure often with the aid of a binder.
Builders, Detergents		Ingredients added to detergent formulations that enhance performance by softening water, sometimes adding alkalinity and aiding in soil emulsification and/or suspension. Typical builders are silicates, phosphates, zeolites, and citrates.
Bulk Materials		Products or raw materials that are purchased or sold using transport vehicles that contain large tank capacity, such as tank trucks, rail cars, barges, etc.
Caking		Unwanted changing of a powdered or granular material into lumps or a solid mass, usually by heat, pressure or moisture.[Top]
Calcination		A process by which a material is heated to a high temperature without fusing, such as heating unformed ceramic materials in a kiln or heating ores, precipitates, concentrates or residues so that hydrates, carbonate, or other compounds are decomposed and volatile material is released.
Calcium		A chemical element, symbol Ca, atomic number 20, atomic weight 40.08. A contaminant in our raw materials known to cause turbidity in our final liquid silicates.
Calcium Acetate		A compound that crystallizes as colorless needles that are soluble in water; formerly used as an important source of acetone and acetic acid; now used as a mordant and as a stabilizer of plastics.
Calcium Carbonate		White rhombohedrons or a white powder; occurs naturally as calcite; used in paint manufacture, as a dentrifice, as an anti-caking medium to table salt, and in the manufacture of rubber tires. Chemical formula CaCO₃.
Calcium Exchange		In reference to Zeolite, the amount of calcium that can Capacity be exchanged for sodium per gram of product.
Capacity		The production ability of a particular plant site.
Carpet		A fibrous floor covering; colloidal dispersions are used to treat carpets to reduce soiling and static charge pickup.
Carpet Treatment		The application of colloidal materials to the surface to reduce soiling, aid in cleanability and reduction of static electric charge.
Casein		The protein of milk; a white solid soluble in acids. Materials used in the testing of some silica gel adsorbents.
Casting		The process by which a liquid or plastic substance is formed into a solid mass by pouring the material into a mold and letting it cool to harden. Usually refers to molten metals.
Caustic Soda		Sodium hydroxide, chemical formula NaOH. White deliquescent crystals that absorb carbon dioxide and water from the air. Soluble in water, alcohol and glycerol and used as a strong base in chemical reactions.
Cellulose		The main polysaccharide in living plants, forming the skeletal structure of the plant cell wall; chain lengths of 2000 to 4000 units are common.
Cement		A dry powder made from silica, alumina, lime, iron oxide, and magnesia which hardens when mixed with water; used as an ingredient in concrete.
Ceramics		Products made by baking or firing of nonmetallic minerals, such as tile, cement, plaster refractories or brick.
Cerium Oxide		Also known as ceric oxide, CeO2; used in ceramics and abrasives.
Chemical Bonds		Primary bonds that hold elements together to form molecules.
Chemical Compounds		Molecules made up of specific amounts and ratios of elements that can be defined.
Chemical Reaction		A chemical change or a reaction between two or more substances which results in a new compound.
Chemicals		A substance (i.e. element or chemical compound) obtained by a chemical process.
Chill-Haze		A cloudy appearance that occurs when beer is chilled causing certain proteins to flocculate.
Chillproofing		Process using silica gel or other filter aids that remove certain proteins in beer that cause chill-haze.
Chlorine		Non-metallic halogen element of atomic number 17 (Cl), atomic weight 35.45. Can be in gas or liquid form; very strong oxidizing agent.
Chromatography		Laboratory separation technique based on selective adsorption by which complex mixtures can be identified. Silica gels with specific size and pore structure can be used in this process.
Chromium		Metallic element of atomic number 24 (Cr), atomic weight 52, name derived from Greek, for color.
Clarity		The quality or state of being clear; refers to silicate clearness.
Clay		A hydrated aluminosilicate.
Cleaning Compounds		Products formulated with various ingredients (e.g., surfactants, alkalis, builders) designed to remove soils.
Coagulation		Process by which a finely divided substance or individual particles come together to form a coherent mass.
Coating		A film or thin layer applied to a base material called a substrate.
Colloidal Silica		Very small silica particles (<1 micron) usually prepared by acidification or ion exchange of silicate solutions stabilized in solution usually by a small amount of alkali.
Colloids		Very small particles with at least one dimension within the range 10 nanometers to 1 micrometer, and are stabilized in solution by chemical or electrochemical means.
Composite		A mixture or mechanical combination of raw materials on a macro scale that are solid in the finished state, are mutually insoluble, and differ in chemical nature.
Compression		The act or process of pressing together substances, to form a denser substance or product.
Concrete		A conglomerate of gravel, pebbles, sand, broken stone, blast-furnace slag or cinders, embedded in a matrix of either mortar or cement.
Conditioner		A device or substance/mixture used to modify the characteristics of another substance/mixture.
Conductivity		The property of a substance or mixture that describes its ability to transfer heat or electricity. It is used to measure the solubility of powders in liquid dissolving applications.
Contamination		The process by which something is made inferior or impure by admixture of undesirable elements or compounds. Addition of some unwanted substance.
Corrosion		The electrochemical degradation of metals/alloys or chemical degradation of materials (glass, concrete, etc.) due to a reaction with their environment; usually accelerated by the presence of acids or bases.
Corrugated Materials		Materials such as kraft paper, paper board or sheet metals, formed or shaped into wrinkles or folds or into alternating ridges or grooves.
Crush Strength		Also known as compression strength. Measurement of the force required to compress a material; used for testing paper products’ strength characteristics.
Crystal		The normal form of a solid state of matter which has a regular repeating pattern.
Crystallization		The phenomenon of crystal formation by nucleation and accretion (gradual buildup of substance).
Curing		Conversion of a raw product to a finished and useful condition usually by application of heat and/or chemicals which induce physiochemical changes.
Deflocculation		Process or treatment by which an aggregated mass of material or particles is dispersed, usually involving a surface chemical change that produces repulsion of particles and/or a mechanical break-up of the aggregate.[Top]
Defoamers		Defoaming agent or antifoaming agent; a substance used to reduce foaming due to organic materials, proteins, gases, or nitrogenous material which may interfere with processing, (e.g. oils, silicone fluids, dimethyl-polysiloxanes).
Deinking		The removal of print inks from paper by use of alkaline solutions that contain caustic soda, silicates, dispersant, soaps and sometimes oxygen bleach.
Density		Weight per unit volume, usually expressed as pounds/ gallon, grams/cubic centimeter, or grams/milliliter. Silicate density is usually expressed in o Baume’.
Desiccant		A drying agent, such as calcium chloride or silica gel, used to adsorb water vapor from the air, to maintain a dry atmosphere in containers for food packages, chemical reagents, etc.
Detergency		Cleaning power or soil removal ability of a substance.
Detergent		Any substance that reduces the surface tension of water; specifically a surface-active-agent; also refers to a formulated cleaning product that contains surfactants, builders, and other additives.
Dextrin		A polymer of D-glucose which is intermediate in complexity between starch and maltose. Used as an adhesive, thickening agent, and sizing for paper and textiles.
Diatomaceous Earth		Soft bulky material (88% silica) composed of the skeletons of small prehistoric aquatic plants related to algae (diatoms). This is used in clarifying some of our silicate liquid products. Also used as a thickener, absorbent, and abrasive.
Diffraction		Deviation of a ray from a straight course when partially cut off by an obstacle, or when passing near the edges of an opening.
Dilution		The action of diluting or reducing the strength or concentration of a liquid, usually by the addition of water.
Dispersion		A two-phase system typically where one phase consists of finely divided particles distributed throughout a bulk substance.
Dissolving		One substance becoming an integral part of another substance. A solid material becoming a solution such as silicate glass dissolving in water to become a liquid silicate.
Drying		Removing of water (90-95%) or organic solvent from a material, by exposure to air, heating, or adding a chemical drying agent.
Durability		The ability to exist for a long time without significant deterioration, or change in appearance.
Dye		A soluble or insoluble coloring matter; can be direct, disperse, or fiber-reactive dyes, imparting a new and often permanent color to something.
Efflorescence		(Blooming) Alkali migration to the surface of sodium silicate films. Carbon dioxide in air reacts with the alkali forming sodium carbonate. Less likely to occur with potassium silicate films.[Top]
Electrochemistry		That branch of chemistry concerned primarily with the relationship between electric forces and chemical reactions.
Electrokinetics		A branch of physics that deals with emission, behavior, and effects of electrons and with electronic devices.
Electroplating		The deposition of a thin layer or coating of metal on an object by passing an electric current through the object or charging of the particles themselves.
Element		Basic building blocks of nature from which all matter is composed.
Emulsion		A stable mixture of two or more immiscible liquids held in suspension by small percentages of substances called emulsifiers.
Enamel		A type of paint consisting of an intimate dispersion of pigments in a varnish or resin vehicle.
Epsom Salt		Magnesium sulfate, heptahydrate (MgSO₄ . 7 H₂O).
Evaporation		The removal of water or solvents from solids or liquids usually by the exposure to air or heat. Silicates form a “skin” on the surface due to evaporation.
Fiber Drum		A container produced from linerboard by convolutely rolling the paper onto a stainless steel roller using silicate or other glues to secure the paper and add strength.[Top]
Fillers		Non-reactive, low cost materials that reduce the cost of pure substances. Fillers are used for certain solid structural applications. Some fillers impart greater strength and stability, and/or reduce weight of the pure substances. (Q-cel® microspheres are used in bowling balls.)
Films		Thin coatings of material on substances to add protection, modify or change the physical characteristics of surfaces, (e.g. Silicate films used for corrosion protection).
Flotation		A technique used to separate solid materials by using a solvent such as water and floating the desired substance off the surface. In fruit flotation, silicates are added to water to modify the density of the water to allow the fruit to float, and to aid in the cleaning of their surfaces. In ore processing, separates the desired material from the gangue or undesired material. In deinking, separates the ink from the pulp.
Foam		The formation of bubbles in liquids often caused by continuous pumping of low surface-tension fluids and the entrapment of air. Hydrophobic silicates dispersed in paraffin oils usually work well as anti-foams.
Freezing Point		The temperature at which a liquid changes state and forms a solid. Most liquid silicates freeze around 320 Fahrenheit since they are primarily water. Once frozen, it is usually difficult to reclaim sodium silicates and impossible for potassium silicates.
Furnace		A heated chamber where high temperature reactions take place. For silicate glass fusion, this occurs at temperatures between 11000C and 12000C.
Fusion		The interaction of materials, usually solids, that form new compounds at high temperatures. Silicate glasses are formed by the fusion of sand and soda ash in a furnace.
Gel		The formation of a solid material from the modification or destabilization of a liquid. Gels have varying degrees of hardness depending on the solids concentration of the mass. Silicates form gels that have an SiO2 matrix with entrapped water in the pores.[Top]
Glass		Transparent or opaque solid formed from sand fusion reactions. Usually very hard and dense but can be fractured easily.
Gypsum		Calcium sulfate dihysrate, CaS0₄.₂H₂O, used in wallboard manufacture, and fertilizers.
Hard Water		Waters that contain dissolved calcium and magnesium. Hardness is expressed as grains CaCO₃/gallon, mg CaCO₃/Liter, or ppm CaCO₃.[Top]
Hardness, mohs		Refers to the hardness of a solid material. The higher the moh scale reading, the harder the substance.
Heat of Solution		The amount of energy (heat) given off (or absorbed) in the dissolving of a solid into a liquid. Alkalis and silicates are exothermic; while dissolving, the temperature of the solution will increase.
Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)		An oxidizing agent used to bleach pulp and fabric. Silicates added to peroxide stabilize it and extend the performance of the material.
Hydrometer		A long, weighted, tapered glass rod that is calibrated and floats in solutions. It is used to measure density of liquids, especially silicates.
Hydrous		Containing water, typically chemically bound water or water of hydration. G®, GD®, and BRITESIL® silicates are hydrous silicates. METSO PENTABEAD® 20 is hydrous metasilicate.
Hygroscopic		A substance that adsorbs moisture from the air.
Impregnation		The forcing of liquids or solids into rigid substances using pressure and/or mechanical force, e.g., the impregnation of liquids into linerboard.[Top]
Impurities		Undesired or unintentional elements or substances contaminating pure or nearly pure products. Customers are requiring more and more knowledge about what type and how much of these impurities are present in our products.
Interfacial Tension		Resistance present at the surface of two unlike substances (e.g., oil and water).
Intumescense		Bubbling, foaming or swelling of a substance when subjected to high heat. Silicate films usually contain entrapped moisture. When heated, this moisture vaporizes and causes the film to bubble and expand. Hydrated silicate powders exhibit the same type of expansion upon heating.
Investment Casting		Process used to make precision metal castings such as golf club heads. A wax is coated with colloidal silica, followed by a dry powder mix. This process is repeated until several layers are built up and dried. The wax is melted out and molten metal is poured into the resultant mold to form the final metal product.
Ion Exchange		Process in which an undesirable chemical component is removed from solution by exchanging it with a more desirable one. (Zeolites work in this fashion.)
Ions		An atom or group of atoms that carry a positive or negative charge, and are usually found in solution.
Joosten Process		A chemical grouting process for soil stabilization that utilizes sodium silicate and calcium chloride.[Top]
Kaolin		A fine, usually white, clay that is used in ceramics and refractories as a filler or extender.[Top]
Kiln Dust		Dust produced during cement or lime processing.
Laminates		Products made by bonding together layers of one or more substance to form a better or stronger product.[Top]
Landfill		Method of storing wastes by burying or covering waste with earth; usually defined by EPA regulations.
Latex		Typically a solution of water and polymer used as a coating, binder, or adhesive. Many customers try to use latex/silicate blends to produce a more flexible silicate coating.
Layered Silicate		A synthetic clay used as a detergent builder.
Leaching		Dissolving or washing out of soluble compounds by exposure to liquids. Undesirable in landfill applications.
Lignin		A compound contained in the woody cell walls of trees which gives paper a brown color. It is usually removed from wood pulp for fine or bleached paper products.
Liquor		A liquid substance containing chemical compounds.
Lubricant		A substance capable of reducing friction, usually on metal parts.
Luminescence		Emission of light by chemical or electrical means.
Magnesium		A silver-white metallic element (atomic number 12. Atomic weight 24.3, symbol Mg) used for a variety of chemical processes. An essential element in chlorophyll production for plant growth.[Top]
Magnesium Oxide		An oxide form of magnesium used as a raw material for Epsom manufacture.
Magnesium Silicate		Synthetic clay commonly used as a filler or filtration aid. PQ formerly manufactured this product under the name of Britesorb 90.
Magnesium Sulfate		Commonly called Epsom salt, but MgSO₄ can have various hydrated forms. Epsom salt is a heptahydrate.
Mineral		Natural inorganic substance with varying degrees of purity, often has to be refined to be used.
Newtonian Liquid		A liquid with flow characterized by rate of shear directly proportional to shear force.[Top]
Non-Newtonian Liquid		A liquid with flow characterized by variable relationship between rate of shear and shear force. Liquid silicates are non-Newtonian.
Ore flotation		The separation of components from crushed rock by floating the desired component to the surface and skimming off the layer. Silicates aid in the process because of their surface charge.[Top]
Paper		A semisynthetic product made by chemically processing cellulosic fibers into sheets or rolls.[Top]
Pellets		Small units of light, bulky material compressed into any of several shapes and sizes.
Pentahydrate		Contains 5 molecules of water for each molecule of chemical substance. METSO PENTABEAD 20, Na2SiO3.5H2O, is sodium metasilicate, five hydrate.
Permeability		The capacity of a porous substance that allows the transmission of a liquid phase.
Peroxide		Any compound containing a bivalent 0-0 group, i.e., the O atoms are univalent. Such compounds release atomic (nascent) oxygen readily, and are used as oxidizing or bleaching agents. For example, hydrogen peroxide, H₂O₂.
Petroleum		A highly complex mixture of paraffinic (naphthenic), and aromatic hydrocarbons, containing low percentages of sulfur and trace amounts of nitrogen and oxygen compounds.
pH		Value taken to represent the acidity or alkalinity of an aqueous solution; it is defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen-ion concentration. pH 7 is neutral, values less than 7 are acidic, greater than 7 are alkaline.
Phase Equilibria		The equilibrium relationships between phases (e.g. vapor, liquid, solid) of a chemical compound or mixture under various conditions of temperature, pressure and composition.
Phosphate		Generic term for a compound containing a phosphate group; any of several phosphorous/oxygen combinations.
Phosphorous		A non-metallic element, symbol P, atomic number 15, atomic weight 30.98.
Physical Chemistry		The branch of chemistry dealing with the relationships between the physical properties of substances and their chemical compositions and transformations.
Pigments		Solids that reflect light of certain wavelengths, without producing appreciable luminescence usually suspended in paint formulations to achieve a desired color.
Pilot Plant		A trial assembly of small-scale reaction and processing equipment which is the intermediate stage between laboratory experiment and full-scale operation in the development of a new product.
Plasma		A particle plasma is a completely ionized gas, composed of an equal number of positive and negative ions .
Plaster		A plastic mixture of various materials, such as lime or gypsum, and water which sets to a hard, coherent solid.
Plastics		Polymeric materials (usually organic) of large molecular weight which can be shaped by flow; usually refers to the final product with fillers, plasticizers, pigments, and stabilizers included (versus the resin, the homogeneous polymeric starting material).
Plastisols		Dispersions of finely divided resin in a plasticizer.
Plywood		A material composed of thin sheets of wood glued together, with grains of adjacent sheets oriented at right angles to each other.
Polishing		Smoothing and brightening surfaces such as metal or rocks through the use of abrasive materials and/or chemi-mechanical action. Colloidal silicas are used for polishing semiconductor silicon wafers. Also used, particularly with water, to mean a final purifying step.
Polyester Resin		A thermosetting or thermoplastic synthetic resin made by esterification of polybasic organic acids with polyhydric acids.
Polymers		Macromolecules formed by the chemical union of 2 or more identical combining units called monomers.
Polyol		A polyhydric alcohol, i.e., an alcohol containing three or more hydroxyl groups, such as a glycerol.
Polyolefins		A class or group name for thermoplastics polymers derived from simple olefins; among the more important are polyethylene, polypropylene, polybutenes, poly-isoprene, and their co-polymers.
Polystyrene		A water-white, tough resin made by polymerization of styrene.
Polyvinyl Acetate		A thermoplastic polymer; insoluble in water, gasoline, oil and fats, soluble in ketones, alcohols, benzene, esters, and chlorinated hydrocarbons; used in adhesives, latex paints and paper sizes. Abbreviated PVA or PVAc.
Polyvinyl Alchol		A water soluble synthetic polymer made by alcoholysis of polyvinyl acetate and used in adhesives, textiles, emulsifiers, thickeners and paper coatings. Abbreviated PVA or PVOH.
Pore Size		The size of the opening in a membrane, screen, or other porous material, such as a gel or zeolite.
Pore Size Distribution		Range of pore sizes in rocks or permeable solids. Zeolites and silica gels are produced with very narrow distribution for specific applications.
Porosity		Property of a solid which contains many minute channels or open spaces. The fraction of the total volume occupied by these channels or spaces.
Portland Cement		A type of hydraulic cement in the form of finely divided gray powder composed of lime, alumina, silica and iron oxide as tetracalcium aluminoferrate, tricalcium aluminate, tricalcium silicate and dicalcium silicate.
Potassium Silicate		A group of alkaline potassium silicates manufactured by PQ from potassium carbonate and silica sand to different ratios of silica (SiO2) to alkali (K2O). Sold as a glass, ground glass, hydrated powder or aqueous liquid, potassium silicates are used in paints and coatings, as an arc-electrode binder, and in detergents.
Powders		Loose groupings or aggregations of solid particles, usually smaller than 100 micrometers (microns).
Precipitation		Solid particles settling out of a liquid.
Pressure		Force applied to or distributed over a surface; it is measured as force per unit area.
Proppant		A term coined by petroleum engineers to refer to agents such as sand, sintered bauxite, etc. Used in hydraulic fracturing of oil wells; they are so called because they prop open the minute cracks in rock formations created by hydraulic pressure.
Protein		A complex high molecular weight polymer containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and usually sulfur, and composed of chains of amino acids connected by peptide linkages.
Pulp		The cellulosic material produced by reducing wood mechanically or chemically and used in making paper and cellulose products. Also known as wood pulp.
Purfication		Removal of unwanted elements or chemicals from a substance.
Q-Cel®		PQ Corporation's trademark for borosilicate hollow microspheres.[Top]
Quality Control		Inspection, analysis and action applied to a portion of the product in a manufacturing operation to estimate overall quality of the product and determine what, if any, changes must be made to achieve or maintain the required level of quality.
Quartz (SiO₂)		Crystallized silicon dioxide. A colorless, transparent rock-forming mineral with vitreous luster, crystallizing in the trigonal trapezohedral class of the rhombohedral subsystem; hardness is 7 on the mohs scale, and specific gravity is 2.65.
Ratio		For silicates - the weight percent of silica divided by the weight percent alkali. Sometimes expressed as a molar ratio.[Top]
Radioactivity		Atomic emission resulting from natural or artificial nuclear transformation. The energy of the process is emitted in the form of alpha, beta, or gamma rays.
Raw Materials		Any ingredients or components of a mixture or product before mixing and processing take place.
Reactivity		The relative capacity of an atom, molecule, or radical to combine chemically with another atom, molecule, or radical.
Reactor		Device or process vessel in which chemical reactions take place during a chemical conversion type of process.
Reduction		Chemical reaction with reduction in positive valence by (1) acceptance of one or more electrons by an atom; (2) removal of oxygen from a compound; or, (3) addition of hydrogen to a compound.
Refractive index		The ratio of the velocity of light in a vacuum to that in a specified medium. Also known as index of refraction; refracture index.
Refractory		Non-metallic materials suitable for use at high temperatures; usually composed of aluminas, silicas, etc.
Saponification		Alkaline hydrolysis of an oil or fat, or the neutralization of a fatty acid to form a soap.[Top]
Scale		A build-up unwanted solid material in storage tanks, pumps, etc., caused by the reaction of silicate with materials such as calcium or magnesium.
Sequestering agent		A substance that removes a metal ion from a solution by forming a complex ion that does not have the chemical reactions of the ion that is removed; can be a chelating or a complexing agent.
Silica		Silicon dioxide (SiO2) occurring in crystalline, amorphous and impure forms (as in quartz, opal and sand). (Precipitated silica)
Silica gel		A colloidal, highly absorbent silica used as a dehumidifying and dehydrating agent, as a catalyst carrier, and sometimes as a catalyst. Because of its internal pore structure, it can be used in liquid separation processes.
Silica sol		A suspension of silica particles in the range of 2 to 100 nanometers, usually stabilized by a small amount of alkali.
Silicate		A compound containing silicon, oxygen, and one or more metals such as sodium or potassium with or without hydrogen. Commonly powders or liquids obtained from water soluble glass. (PQ PRODUCT LINE)
Silicate garden		Irregular colored tubular growths formed in diluted aqueous silicate solutions by dropping water solutions of heavy metal salts in it, or by the dissolution of metal salt crystals.
Silicon		A tetravalent nonmetallic element (atomic number 14, atomic weight 32, chemical symbol Si) that occurs as the most abundant element next to oxygen in the earth’s crust.
Silicone		Any of a variety of polymeric organic silicon compounds. Siloxane polymers consisting of alternate silicon and oxygen atoms with various organic radicals attached to the silicon.
Sizing		A coating on paper, cloth or walls to add stiffness, opacity, or texture.
Slag cements		Cements made from blast furnace slag that are activated with sodium silicates.
Slurry		A suspension of finely dispersed particles which usually has to be agitated to retain its consistency.
Soap		A metal salt (usually sodium or potassium) of a fatty acid.
Sodium Metasilicate		An alkaline sodium silicate with a definite crystalline structure and a ratio of SiO₂ to Na₂O of 1:1.
Softening point		For a substance which does not have a definite melting point, the temperature at which viscous flow changes to plastic flow.
Soil stabilization		Chemically altering the engineering property of a natural soil, usually to make the area more rigid or stronger.
Solubility		The ability of a substance to form a solution with another substance.
Solution		A homogeneous (single phase) mixture of two or more components. A uniformly dispersed mixture at the molecular level of one or more substances (the solute) in one or more other substances (the solvent).
Speciation		Commercial silicates are complex mixtures of silicate anions of different molecular size. Speciation describes the distribution of these anions. The distribution depends on silica:alkali ratio and/or solids concentration.
Specific Gravity		The ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance, usually water.
Specific Heat		The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of substance one degree.
Spray		Drying The production of a dried product by the atomization of a liquid into a heated chamber which evaporates the liquid. The dried particles fall to the bottom of the vessel and are collected.
Starch		White, odorless, tasteless granular or powdery complex carbohydrates (C6H10O5)X, that is the chief storage form of carbohydrates in plants. It is an important food stuff and is used in adhesives, and sizes, in laundering, pharmacy and medicine.
Stormer Viscometer		An old analytical instrument used in the measuring of non-newtonian fluids, like silicates. A spindle is rotated in a jacketed cup containing the sample, driven by a falling weight. The time it takes for the weight to travel a set distance is the viscosity in Stormer seconds, which can be converted to centipoise (cP).
Substrate		A solid surface on which a coating or film is deposited.
Surfactant		A word coined from surface-active agent. A compound that reduces the surface tension of water permitting it to penetrate more easily into or to spread over the surface of another material. Also called wetting agent.
Suspension		A mixture of fine, nonsettling particles of any solid within a liquid or gas, the particles being the dispersed phase, while the suspending medium is the continuous phase.
Tack		In the paper adhesives area, the ability of a substance (glue) to be very sticky and hold 2 plys of paper together quickly.[Top]
Talc		A whitish, greenish, or grayish hydrated magnesium silicate mineral; it is extremely soft and has a characteristic soapy or greasy feel.
Tank Bottoms		A small amount of solid material suspended in liquid silicates which settle to the bottom of a storage tank over long periods of time.
Tetrasilicate		Crystalline sodium silicates which have the ratio of about 4 SiO2:1 Na2O. Common forms, which may be found in tank bottoms, are makatite and kanemite. They can be dissolved in caustic solutions.
Titration		An analytical method for determining concentration of a desired substance in solution.
Tridymite		A crystalline form of silica, usually formed at high temperatures, when quartz sand is heated. It may be found in tank bottoms.
Trisodium Phosphate Na₃PO₄.		A water-soluble crystalline compound; used as
(TSP)		a cleaning compound and as a water softener.
Tube		Winding The process of producing a paper fiber tube, by winding strips of paper onto a mandrel. Between each strip, an adhesive is used to bond the strips together. Two types are usually found: spiral wound and convolute.
Viscosity		The resistance of a liquid to flow; measured by a variety of techniques.[Top]
VOC’s		Volatile organic compounds - organic vapors that are harmful or carcinogenic. They are usually formed by the burning or heating of organic binders.
Warp		In paper applications, the unwanted curving or deformation of a piece of paper, usually caused by excessive moisture in the substrate and uneven drying.[Top]
Waste		Treatment The process by which hazardous materials are stored or treated to minimize the leaching of these substances into the environment.
Waterglass		Old term used to describe liquid sodium silicate compounds.
Water Treatment		The application of chemicals or techniques to improve the quality of water for human consumption or industrial applications.
Welding Rod Coatings		Binders that hold the flux onto the rods. For this application. Potassium silicates are usually used because of better stability and flame characteristics.
Wetting		The adherence of a film or a liquid to coat or cover the surface of a solid completely. Surfactants are usually added to improve this characteristic.
Wetting Agents		Same as surfactants. Usually organic based materials that modify the surface tension of liquids. On flat substrates, adding wetting agents to silicates helps to provide a uniform coating on hard-to-wet or hydrophobic surfaces.
Wood Pulp		Wood which has been reduced, chemically or mechanically, to a fine powdered substance called pulp.
X-ray Diffraction		The scattering of x-rays by matter, especially crystals, with accompanying variation in intensity due to interference effects. Also known as x-ray micro-diffraction.[Top]
Zeolite		Hydrous aluminum-sodium silicate in porous granules, capable of exchanging its base (sodium) for calcium or magnesium, and of expelling the calcium or magnesium in favor of sodium again by treatment with salt.[Top]
Zeta Potential		The electrical potential that exists across the interface of all solids and liquids. Also known as electrokinetic potential.
Zinc Rich Paints		A protective under-coating for cleaned metal surfaces, (usually steel or iron). The paint is a two part system where zinc dust is mixed on site with the binder vehicle. Quaternary ammonium silicates or potassium silicates can be used and provide a good vehicle.