Patent ID: 8057770

Claim:
A sodium silicate solution produced by a method comprising the steps of: (i) manufacturing titanium dioxide, wherein the manufacturing comprises generating a waste product, the waste product comprising a precursor solid silica source; (ii) collecting the waste product; (iii) exfoliating and removing at least about 85% by weight titanium dioxide particles adhering to the surface of the precursor solid silica source of the collected waste product, to form cleaned silica; (iv) producing an intermediate sodium silicate solution by a hydrothermal fusion reaction of the cleaned silica with a caustic soda in an autoclave; (v) forming an amorphous silica source by transposing the SiO 2 content of the intermediate sodium silicate of step (iv) by a separate precipitation process; and (vi) dissolving the amorphous silica provided in step (v) in the intermediate sodium silicate solution of step (iv) and raising the SiO 2 :Na 2 O molar ratio to result in a high modulus sodium silicate solution, wherein the high modulus sodium silicate solution is characterized by a Ti content of from 100 ppm to 1400 ppm and the following properties: a physical form of a clear and colorless liquid; a density of from 1.35 kg/L to 1.45 kg/L; a minimum content of 27.2% by weight of SiO 2 ; a maximum content of 9.0% by weight of Na 2 O; and a SiO 2 :Na 2 O molar ratio of from 3.0:1 to 3.8:1.