IR spectroscopic study of the phase composition for sodium silicate synthesized in aqueous medium

The distribution of components, phase composition, and structural features of sodium silicate synthesized in aqueous medium were investigated by IR spectroscopy. In prolonged storage in air, the substance partially cracked and its phase composition changed. Sodium silicates of different stoichiometry, free silica in the form of cristobalite, and sodium carbonate were the basic phases. The concentration gradients of sodium carbonate and water in the silicate in ambient conditions intensified from center to edges. Generation and development of cracks that perturbed the continuity of the synthesized substance were explained. It was noted that water sorbed from air is more dangerous for degradation of the structure than structurally bound water from the initial solution.