Silica quartz crystals

Other Industrial Applications. High pressures are used industrially for many other specialized appHcations. Apart from mechanical uses in which hydrauhc pressure is used to supply power or to generate Hquid jets for mining minerals or cutting metal sheets and fabrics, most of these other operations are batch processes. Eor example, metallurgical appHcations include isostatic compaction, hot isostatic compaction (HIP), and the hydrostatic extmsion of metals. Other appHcations such as the hydrothermal synthesis of quartz (see Silica, synthetic quartz crystals), or the synthesis of industrial diamonds involve changing the phase of a substance under pressure. In the case of the synthesis of diamonds, conditions of 6 GPa (870,000 psi) and 1500°C are used (see Carbon, diamond, synthetic). 

Hydrothermal crystallisation processes occur widely in nature and are responsible for the formation of many crystalline minerals. The most widely used commercial appHcation of hydrothermal crystallization is for the production of synthetic quartz (see Silica, synthetic quartz crystals). Piezoelectric quartz crystals weighing up to several pounds can be produced for use in electronic equipment. Hydrothermal crystallization takes place in near- or supercritical water solutions (see Supercritical fluids). Near and above the critical point of water, the viscosity (300-1400 mPa s(=cP) at 374°C) decreases significantly, allowing for relatively rapid diffusion and growth processes to occur. 

In addition to silica (silicon dioxide SiO ), the crystal form of silicon is found in several semiprecious gemstones, including amethyst, opal, agate, and jasper, as well as quartz of varying colors. A characteristic of quartz is its piezoelectric effect. This effect occurs when the quartz crystal is compressed, producing a weak electrical charge. Just the opposite occurs when electric vibrations are fed to the crystal. These vibrations are then duphcated in the crystal. Quartz crystals are excellent timekeeping devices because of this particular characteristic. 

Sihcon dioxide exists in several structural forms polymorphic crystalline sihca, synthetic quartz crystals, amorphous silica, and vitreous silica. This classification is not complete as there are other forms of silica synthesized for speciahzed apphcations. Various forms of sihca are mentioned briefly below. 

Solubility. An important aspect of silica chemistry concerns the silica— water system. The interaction of the various forms of silica with water has geological significance and is applied in steam-power engineering where the volatilization of silica and its deposition on turbine blades may occur (see Power GENERATION), in the production of synthetic quartz crystals by hydrothermal processes (qv), and in the preparation of commercially important soluble silicates, colloidal silica, and silica gel. 

Crystalline Silica. Quartz sand is of course the principal raw material for the production of glass (qv). Cristobalite and 3-quartz are used in glass ceramics (qv), ie, ceramics produced by the controlled crystallization of glass. Silica is a main constituent of ceramics (qv). For example, refractory silica brick containing small amounts of A O is used as roof brick for open-hearth furnaces at temperatures >1600° C (see Refractories). Silica sand or flour (ground quartz) is the raw material for soluble silicates, such as sodium silicate, which is consistently ranked as one of the top 50 U.S. industrial chemicals (98) (see Silicon compounds, synthetic inorganic silicates). 

Cnthidia fasciculata - [SILICA - INTRODUCTION] (Vol21) - [CLAYS - SURVEY] (Vol 6) - [SILICA - SYNTHETIC QUARTZ CRYSTALS] (Vol 21) - [GLASS] (Vol 12) -from diatomite piATOMITE] (Vol 8) -OSHA specifications [ABRASIVES] (Vol 1) -m silica refractories [REFRACTORIES] (Vol 21) - [ANTIBIOTICS - ANSAMACROLIDES] (Vol 2)... 

Oscillators -NLO for lasers [NONLINEAR OPTICAL MATERIALS] (Vol 17) -parametric [LASERS] (Vol 15) -synthetic quartz crystals for [SILICA - SYNTHETIC QUARTZ CRYSTALS] (Vol 21)... 

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