Sodium Silicate

Sodium Silicate is used in many industries, such as in car exhaust and head gasket repair, sand casting and in drilling fluids. It is also used as an adhesive when making cardboard and bonding glass.

In the pottery industry, sodium silicate is mainly used as a deflocculant when making casting slips. It reduces the viscosity of the slip, preventing the need to use a large volume of water to liquidise the clay. It is often used along with Soda Ash in the creation of casting slips.

There are other uses for sodium silicate in the pottery industry. These include adding a cracked effect to bottles or vases and the creation of ‘magic water’. This is used to join pieces of clay, especially if the pieces have different moisture levels.