An Indomitable Particle: Colloidal Silica Takes on Extreme Environments
Download the exclusive eBook written in collaboration with Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN).
Exploring the versatility of colloidal silica
Did you know colloidal silica can stabilize the ground under buildings during earthquakes, preserve ancient carvings, and keep lenses and sensors aboard space vehicles clear and clean? It can also keep drilling fluids, petroleum, and natural gas flowing in the right direction during extraction operations.
Together with Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), Grace explores the versatility of colloidal silica in our newest eBook showcasing:
- The preservation of centuries-old carvings at Mexico’s El Tajín, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- NASA space exploration and the role of this versatile material in tile, lenses, and instruments
- How adding an ionic salt solution to colloidal silica forms a rigid gel that stands up to earthquakes, seals up fractured streambeds, and forms a container that keeps polluted groundwater from spreading
- The “plugging” capability of colloidal silica and its role in creating barriers in extraction operations to keep drilling fluids from leaking
Colloidal silica-based plaster fills and coatings stabilize historical carvings and protect them against weathering as shown at the UNESCO World Heritage site, El Tajín. On-site testing of the colloidal silica-based plaster fills and coatings one year after application showed better endurance, stability, and appearance than previously applied limestone plasters.
What can you do with LUDOX® colloidal silica?
Cited in over 35,000 patents, applications for LUDOX® colloidal silicas are numerous and diverse. Researchers continue to discover new ways to use LUDOX® colloidal silicas in cutting-edge research, breaking ground for future scientific innovation and leading to potentially thousands more patents to come.