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Sodium silicate is available from dye suppliers and through Amazon
Ceramix sells sodium silicate
via Amazon
Sodium Silicate
Sold by Ceramix
"We carry everything for the ceramic crafter"
Always wear eye protection when working with sodium silicate
3M Professional Chemical Splash Goggle
Sodium silicate, Na2SiO3, can be used as a fixative for fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX or Remazol dyes. (It will not fix other classes of dye, such as all-purpose or direct dyes.)
The sole purpose of sodium silicate in dyeing is to increase the pH.
In using any sort of fiber reactive dyes to dye cotton or any other cellulose fiber, it is necessary to increase the pH (alkalinity) of the reaction. The high pH activates the cellulose fiber molecule so that it can attack the reactive dye molecule and form a permanent chemical bond to it. A similar mechanism allows the proteins in silk to react with fiber reactive dyes at high pH.
The ideal pH for the reactive of cotton with Procion MX dyes is around 10.5 to 11, while that of Remazol dyes is about 11.5; the exact best pH depends on the dye and on the fiber being used. (See What is the effect of pH?.) The pH of your dye reaction does not have to be right at the ideal in order to work, but it should be near it, preferably within about one pH unit. The pH of a 40% sodium silicate solution is between 11 and 12.5.
The high-pH chemical most commonly used in hand dyeing is soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate (see What is soda ash, and what's it for in dyeing?). If sodium silicate is used as a dye fixative, soda ash is not needed, since sodium silicate serves the same role as sodium carbonate. Sodium silicate is a substitute for soda ash or trisodium phosphate.
Fabric that has been painted with Procion MX or similar dyes, and the dye allowed to dry, can be treated with a liquid sodium silicate solution. AfterFix is a solution of sodium silicate.
Dharma Trading Company give these instructions:
PRO Chemical & Dye has a detailed two-page set of instructions for dye painting entitled Direct Application using PRO QuickFix [PDF] which is worth close examination. Here are some important details:
Tobasign Dyes recommends two different methods for using sodium silicate to fix reactive dyes. One is the same as Dharma and ProChem's method; the other is for solid-color immersion dyeing. They use Remazol dyes instead of Procion MX dyes, but the recipe will work for both types of dye, though Remazol dyes do prefer a higher pH. The following is a paraphrase of their immersion dyeing recipe:
Sodium silicate is purchased in the form of a thick liquid, dissolved in water at a concentration of around 40%.
Many dye suppliers are good sources for sodium silicate. PRO Chemical & Dye sells it under two names, either PRO Fix LHF or PRO QuickFix. Dharma Trading Company sells it under the name AfterFix. In Australia, Batik Oetoro sells it under the brand name Drimafix, and in Spain, Tobasign Dyes sells it under the name Tobafix. (See my Sources of Supplies page for contact information for these and other dye suppliers.)
The traditional name for sodium silicate solution is water glass; it was once commonly used for preserving eggs at room temperature. You might be able to buy it from a small farm supplier. Look for a product called "Cement Floor Sealer and Carton Adhesive", checking the fine print on the label to be certain it is sodium silicate. Since sodium silicate is used in pottery making, you may be able to obtain it from a crafts supply store. The product "Engine Stopper" is the same sodium silicate solution, intended for use in destroying car engines. Sodium silicate is also sold by chemical suppliers, such as Ward's Scientific.
A drawback of using sodium silicate as a dye fixative is that acidic solutions can turn it into a gel that is extremely difficult to remove, so be sure to rinse well with alkaline or neutral water if at any step you are about to introduce a low pH (i.e., by using any acid, such as vinegar or citric acid).
Do not leave the sodium silicate to dry on anything. Wash all spills immediately with water. After it has dried, sodium silicate cannot be removed.
Don't use sodium silicate on or near a glass surface. Once it dries, sodium silicate cannot be removed from glass.
Sodium silicate is severely irritating to the skin and eyes, and, like most household chemicals, must not be swallowed. It is not suitable for use by children. Wear reliable gloves, eye protection such as safety goggles, and a plastic or vinyl apron. J. T. Baker provides an MSDS for sodium silicate [PDF], as will any good supplier.
When it dries, sodium silicate can form a glass film which is sharp enough to cut skin.
Last updated: August 2, 2012
Page created: March 9, 2010
Downloaded: Saturday, October 12, 2024
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