The present invention relates to bioavailable (which may also be referred to as plant available) silicon, such as in the form of a concentrate or solid, and processes for producing and using bioavailable silicon.

The present invention relates to bioavailable (which may also be referred to as plant available) silicon, such as in the form of a concentrate or solid, and processes for producing and using bioavailable silicon.

The present invention refers to a stable sodium and iron silicate solution that has a weight ratio of SiO.sub.2 to Na.sub.2O from 1.5 to 2.5 and a total percentage of solids, expressed by the sum of SiO.sub.2 and Na.sub.2O, from 20% to 55%. Said solution also has a soluble iron content, expressed by Fe, from 0.1% to 7%, and a water content from 38% to 79.9%. The present invention also refers to the process for preparing said stable solution of sodium and iron silicate, which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a siliceous material containing iron; (b) submitting said siliceous material containing iron to a hydrothermal treatment with caustic soda under high temperature and controlled pressure; and (c) filtering said reacted solution to separate the reacted portion of the hydrothermal treatment from the unreacted portion. Additionally, the present invention refers to the uses of said stable sodium and iron silicate solution.

The present invention refers to a stable sodium and iron silicate solution that has a weight ratio of SiO.sub.2 to Na.sub.2O from 1.5 to 2.5 and a total percentage of solids, expressed by the sum of SiO.sub.2 and Na.sub.2O, from 20% to 55%. Said solution also has a soluble iron content, expressed by Fe, from 0.1% to 7%, and a water content from 38% to 79.9%. The present invention also refers to the process for preparing said stable solution of sodium and iron silicate, which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a siliceous material containing iron; (b) submitting said siliceous material containing iron to a hydrothermal treatment with caustic soda under high temperature and controlled pressure; and (c) filtering said reacted solution to separate the reacted portion of the hydrothermal treatment from the unreacted portion. Additionally, the present invention refers to the uses of said stable sodium and iron silicate solution.

Disclosed herein is a method of preparing a silica aerogel. The silica aerogel is prepared by adding a first water glass solution and an acid catalyst to a reactor to form a first silica wet gel. The method further includes adding a second water glass solution and an acid catalyst to the first silica wet gel. The method further includes adding a surface modifier solution to the first silica wet gel to form a second silica wet gel. The method further includes drying a silica wet gel including the first silica wet gel and the second silica wet gel. The prepared silica aerogel has a tap density of 0.032 to 0.070 g/mL and a carbon content of 11.2 to 12.1 wt %.

A negative electrode active material comprising: particles of negative electrode active material, wherein the particles of negative electrode active material contain particles of silicon compound containing a silicon compound (SiO.sub.x:0.5≤x≤1.6), and wherein the particles of silicon compound have, as chemical shift values obtained from a .sup.29Si-MAS-NMR spectrum, an intensity A of a peak derived from amorphous silicon obtained in −40 to −60 ppm, an intensity B of a peak derived from silicon dioxide obtained in the vicinity of −110 ppm, and an intensity C of a peak derived from Si obtained in the vicinity of −83 ppm, which satisfy the following formula 1 and formula 2.
B≤1.5×A  (1)
B<C  (2)

A negative electrode active material comprising: particles of negative electrode active material, wherein the particles of negative electrode active material contain particles of silicon compound containing a silicon compound (SiO.sub.x:0.5≤x≤1.6), and wherein the particles of silicon compound have, as chemical shift values obtained from a .sup.29Si-MAS-NMR spectrum, an intensity A of a peak derived from amorphous silicon obtained in −40 to −60 ppm, an intensity B of a peak derived from silicon dioxide obtained in the vicinity of −110 ppm, and an intensity C of a peak derived from Si obtained in the vicinity of −83 ppm, which satisfy the following formula 1 and formula 2.
B≤1.5×A  (1)
B<C  (2)

The present invention relates to a collector composition for the beneficiation of lithium silicates and magnesium silicates from an ore comprising different silicate minerals, their use in flotation processes and a method for the beneficiation of lithium silicates- and magnesium silicates-containing minerals using said collector composition.

A surface protection compound, in particular a compound for the non-flammable water-resistant non-hazardous biocidal surface protection of wood, or paper, or textile, or plastic, which contains an aqueous silicate solution which contains 93 to 98 wt % of an aqueous solution of potassium silicate, 1 to 6 wt % of aluminium hydroxide and, 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of stabiliser of the aqueous solution of potassium silicate.

A surface protection compound, in particular a compound for the non-flammable water-resistant non-hazardous biocidal surface protection of wood, or paper, or textile, or plastic, which contains an aqueous silicate solution which contains 93 to 98 wt % of an aqueous solution of potassium silicate, 1 to 6 wt % of aluminium hydroxide and, 0.5 to 1.5 wt % of stabiliser of the aqueous solution of potassium silicate.