Buy high quality grade Silica sand at low price Wedge India for various industrial applications due to its high silica (SiO₂) content and chemical purity. Silica sand, also known as quartz sand, is a type of sand that consists mainly of tiny granules of quartz. It is widely used in various industrial applications due to its high silica (SiO₂) content and chemical purity. Here are some key aspects of silica sand:
Technical Properties of Silica Sand
Composition: Predominantly silica (SiO₂), typically over 95% purity.
Grain size: Fine to medium-sized grains, often with a uniform size distribution.
Hardness: Silica is hard and resistant to weathering.
Color: Usually colorless or white, but impurities can give it shades of gray, pink, or brown.
Common Uses
Glassmaking: Silica sand is the primary ingredient in glass manufacturing, providing the necessary silica for glass production.
Construction: It's used as a component in cement, concrete, and mortar mixes.
Foundry Sand: In metal casting, silica sand is used in molds due to its high melting point and ability to withstand extreme heat.
Filtration Media: Silica sand is used in water filtration systems to remove contaminants.
Industrial Abrasives: It serves as an abrasive material in sandblasting and is used in scouring cleaners.
Fracking: In hydraulic fracturing (fracking), silica sand is used as a proppant to keep fractures in the ground open, allowing oil and gas to flow.
Silica sand specifications can vary depending on its intended use in various industries such as glassmaking, construction, foundries, filtration, or fracking. Below are general specifications for silica sand based on common industrial applications:
Chemical Composition
Silicon Dioxide (SiO₂): ≥ 95% - 99.5%
Iron Oxide (Fe₂O₃): ≤ 0.015% - 0.03% (glassmaking and foundries prefer lower Fe₂O₃ levels as it affects transparency and color in glass)
Aluminum Oxide (Al₂O₃): ≤ 0.1% - 1.5%
Calcium Oxide (CaO): ≤ 0.1% - 0.2%
Magnesium Oxide (MgO): ≤ 0.02% - 0.1%
Grain Size/Particle Size Distribution
For glassmaking: 0.1 mm – 0.5 mm (100 mesh - 30 mesh)
For foundry sand: 0.1 mm – 1.0 mm (140 mesh - 16 mesh)
For filtration: 0.35 mm – 0.7 mm (40 mesh - 20 mesh)
For construction applications: Size can vary based on the application but often ranges from fine to medium grains.
Physical Properties
Color: White or light beige (low impurity levels preferred).
Grain Shape: Mostly angular to sub-angular (for construction and fracking), and more rounded grains (for glassmaking and foundries).
Hardness: 7 on the Mohs scale (high hardness makes it suitable for abrasive applications).
Density: 2.65 g/cm³ (specific to quartz).
Moisture Content: Typically < 0.5% (for dry sand used in glassmaking and other applications).
Silt and Clay Content: Clay/silt content: ≤ 0.1% - 0.5% (especially important for high-purity applications like glassmaking and foundries).
Loss on Ignition (LOI): Indicates the presence of organic material or impurities. Desired LOI is usually < 0.2% for high-quality silica sand.
Solubility: Insoluble in acids except hydrofluoric acid (HF), due to the chemical nature of silica.
Other Important Parameters (application-specific):
Refractoriness: High melting point (>1700°C), crucial for foundries and refractories.
Thermal Expansion: Low thermal expansion preferred for glassmaking and metal casting applications.
