LUDOX® colloidal silica is composed of discrete, amorphous, spherical silica particles dispersed in water that do not exhibit detectable levels of crystallinity or porosity. Several grades are available in various particle sizes within the range of 5–40 nanometers. Each grade of LUDOX® colloidal silica has a very tight particle size distribution and varies in pH, silica sol charge, and stabilizing mechanism.
LUDOX® provides many essential functionalities in chemical formulations and processes used in several industries, including coatings, paints, refractories, concrete, catalysts, and paper.
Smaller particle size grades provide beneficial properties through a binding mechanism that leverages the silanol groups on the high surface area of LUDOX® particles. These silanol groups create bonds with various metallic, ceramic, polymeric, and organic materials when drying into a solid via a special form of a sol-gel reaction.
This property makes LUDOX® ideal in paint, coating, refractory, and catalyst applications. For waterborne paint and coating applications, LUDOX® is useful as a binder or cobinder with organic polymers, fillers, substrates, and other silica particles to increase the strength and durability of films. In refractory applications, LUDOX® particles bind strongly to metal oxide particles and themselves to form materials with high temperature stability and chemical and thermal shock resistance. Catalysts and molecular sieves can be made using LUDOX® as a raw material source of silica or be reinforced with it to increase hardness and attrition resistance.
Larger particle sizes of LUDOX® colloidal silica provide the best results when used as surface modifiers. In coatings, LUDOX® will increase antiblocking, adhesion, and dirt-pickup resistance. The larger particle sizes will also increase friction on a variety of surfaces, including paperboard and linerboard, textiles, and floors that use polishes containing LUDOX®. When added to paper, it will also increase ink receptivity and wetting.
Many other commercial applications are possible for LUDOX® colloidal silica. See below to learn more about the available grades and their recommended uses. To learn more about the most common applications for LUDOX®, View our product articles about LUDOX®.
