A New Alkaline Magnesium Compound.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1891-Accepted, 13th June, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New Alkaline Magnesium Compound.
We, MARC WAHRAM BEYLIKGY, Chemist, CHARLES JAMES EVERETT; Manu-
facturer, and CLARKSON ABEL COLLINS, Solicitor, all of No. 120 Broadway; New
York City, New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This new compound consists of the alkaline magnesian silicate hereinafter described
and is specially intended as a substitute for simple alkaline polysilicates commonly
termed soluble silicate or water glass.
This alkaline magnesian, silicate, unlike the simple alkaline silicates which are
procurable in the market either, in fluid or dry form, can only be prepared and kept
in solution as it is endowed with the peculiar property, of being rendered insoluble
in time by perfect drying, after which it cannot be re-dissolved to be again used.
This peculiarity gives it the advantage of dispensing with the application of acids
or ammoniacal salts for the purpose of securing, resistance to the solvent action of
water and preventing exudation in damp weather, such applications, being only..safe
when applied superficially. If carried to the fullest extent, they disintegrate...the
mass and impair the original glutinous tenacity.
A silicate compound embodying all the requisite qualities inherent; in its-nature
was therefore still wanting prior to the invention of the alkaline magnesian, silicate
that forms the subject of this invention.
For the preparation of the said compound we adopt the following, process as the
most appropriate.
We take commercial tersilicate of soda and, add, sufficient. boiling, water, to make
a solution of thick syrupy consistence, and to every one hundred parts by..weight of
dry silicate contained in the liquor we incorporate by. a brisk agitation, and in suc-
cessive proportions, eleven parts of a compound salt formed by three molecules of
fluosilicate of magnesium and one of normal hydro carbonate of magnesia, triturated
with fifty parts of water. A mutual reaction between the combining, elements
readily ensues, the result being fluosilicate of sodium and hydro-silicate of magnesia,
combined with and dissolved out of large, excess of polysilicates, of soda, and, the
carbonate of the same basis, as expressed in the following equation.
6 (Na, Fl. SiF) + 2 (Na,O, CO₂) +. 8 (Mg"O, SiO₂, 3H,O)
Fluo-silicate
of
Carbonate
of
Hydro-silicate
of
Sodium
Soda
Magnesia
combined with and dissolved by
16 (Na, O, 4 SiO2) + 25 (Na₂O, 3-SiO2)
Tetrasilicate
of
Tersilicate
of

page_text: sodium already formed and the alkaline polysilicates left in excess, whereupon the
former is split into fluoride of sodium, silicon and fluorine; this latter readily com-
bines with the positive element of the alkaline silicate with evolution of oxygen
which abstracted by the silicon promotes its simultaneous conversion into silicic
acid; it is taken up by the excess of alkaline silicates together with the entire
amount of silicic acid liberated by the first action of fluorine upon the corresponding
equivalent of polysilicates of soda converting them ultimately into pentasilicate to
combine with the proceeding hydro-silicate of magnesia. According to the
equation.
Fluoride
of
Sodium
Pentasilicate
of
Soda
If in place of the magnesian compound salt as given above, fluo-silicate of mag-
nesium were simply used, the relative proportion of magnesia would have been less
than required. The fluo-silicate of magnesium is however, preferable if the alkaline
silicate under operation is more silicious than what is represented in tersilicate
knowing that the magnesia is proportionated to the basicity of the alkaline silicate.
The magnesian compound salt is liable to disengage spontaneously carbonic acid
and be transformed into a basic compound; that does not modify, however, its
former action upon the alkaline silicates to any objectionable extent.
The relative proportion of the magnesian salt as given above may be reduced or
increased within certain limits for special results.
"The secondary reaction illustrated in the next preceding formula is similar to
that occasioned when hydro-fluo silicic acid is allowed to react upon excess of
kaolin (hydro-silicate of alumina) after the fluo-silicate of that basis is formed
in which case fluoride of aluminium only will be obtained with entire elimination of
silicic acid.
In either case it is the compound produced by the series of decomposition and
recomposition just described which is our alkaline magnesian silicate. It is
endowed with the properties of the simple alkaline silicates in the application to
arts plus the insolubility when once thoroughly dried.
The indispensable property of resisting the action of water or of moist air while
cohesion and flexibility are fully preserved being realized in this new compound,
renders it applicable to many important purposes in the arts to which water-glass
has been unsuccessfully applied and to those purposes which no treatment with
acids can serve.
In preparing the said alkaline magnesian silicate it may be suggested to sub-
stitute the hydro-fluo-silicic acid by some other acid which implies omission of the
secondary reaction; it may be thought to prepare the hydro-silicate of magnesia
separately and add it to alkaline polysilicates; soda may be exchanged for potash ;
but such modifications of the adopted formula can only be considered as so many
experiments in proving the possibility of preparing an alkaline magnesian silicate
regardless of disadvantages.
This alkaline magnesian silicate compound may be applied per se, when a thin
surface coating only is desired. If a mass of considerable thickness is to be
obtained, the incorporation of some fibrous micaceous and crystalline or amorphous
excipient becomes necessary.
This alkaline magnesian silicate solution is liable to gelatinize but its fluidity
may be restored by the addition of some more water and the application of moderate

page_text: heat, provided it is not concreted into a tough mass through the gradual decom-
position of fluo-silicate of sodium into a fluoride under the action of the excess of
alkaline polysilicates, a reaction which may take place in the course of time even
in presence of water, in which case the mass cannot be re-dissolved by heating.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
The within described alkaline magnesian silicate solution in which the silicate
has the general formula, 7 (Na2O, 5 SiO2), 2 (Mg¹¹OSiO2).
Dated th: 17h 1
L ML 1001
HERBERT J. ALLISON,
Agent for the Applicants.