Potassium silicate

Potassium silicate (CAS 1312-76-1), also known commercially as Kasil and listed as E560, is an inorganic binder and film-forming agent produced by fusing silica with potassium carbonate.

Where is Potassium silicate used?

• Construction: active binder in silicate paints and mineral coatings
• Water treatment: passivates pipe surfaces and controls corrosion
• Textile and paper processing: fixative and sizing agent improving fiber bonding and surface strength
• Industrial cleaning and detergent formulations: builder and alkaline buffer
• It reacts with masonry substrates to form a permanent, non-film-forming bond that resists weathering and biological growth.
• Refractory applications.
• Water softening to prevent limescale deposits by chemically binding calcium and magnesium ions.
• Raw material to supply potassium and silicon in professional fertilization or formulation programs.
• Sealants for high-temperature applications such as ovens, fireplaces, boilers and chimneys.

Formulation notes

• For foliar application, the dose is 150-300 cc per hectoliter.
• For fertigation, the dose is 3-6 L per hectare per irrigation, with intervals of 15 to 20 days.
• It reacts with acids to form silica gel.
• Mortar enriched with potassium silicate withstands acid much better than sodium-based mortars, which have limited life.

Typical specification

• Potassium silicate powder has a SiO2 content of 54.00–58.00%.
• Industrial grades are often manufactured with a SiO2 to K2O molar ratio of 2-3.
• Potassium silicate is available as liquids, glass flakes and spray-dried soluble powder.

Regulatory status

• Potassium silicate is suitable for use in organic agriculture according to EU Regulations No. 2018/848 and 2021/1165.

Storage, packaging and handling

• It is stable under normal conditions.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.