Low-temperature curing agent material and curing process of quartz sand for fuse

Abstract

The invention provides a low-temperature curing agent material of quartz sand for fuses and a curing process, and relates to the technical field of fuses, the low-temperature curing agent material comprises a functional phase, a hardening agent and a coating phase, the functional phase is a water glass solution prepared by taking at least one of alkali metal silicate as a main component, and the addition amount of the functional phase accounts for 75-92 wt% of the material; the hardening agent is at least one of organic esters; the compactness, compressive strength, toughness and the like of the cured quartz sand filler are improved through different curing agent system designs, different hardening mechanisms, enhancement modes, hydrophilic improvement and other modes, on one hand, expansion of an electric arc channel when a metal melt is broken under high voltage and large current can be reduced, and the post-arc time and electric arc energy are reduced; on the other hand, the erosion effect of moisture and other substances in the environment on the quartz sand filler in the long-term use process of the product can be reduced, and the long-term use reliability of the fuse product is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fuse technology, and in particular to a low-temperature curing agent material and curing process for quartz sand used in fuses. Background Technology

[0002] A fuse is an overcurrent protection device based on the principle of current-induced thermal effect. It mainly consists of a fusible element, a fuse tube, and external filler. The filler is typically made of quartz sand particles with a specific particle size distribution, filling the inside of the fuse tube to quickly absorb arc energy and limit the spread of the arc channel. It is a key material for high-breaking-capacity fuses. In recent years, with the miniaturization of fuses and the increasing demands for breaking capacity, more and more fuses are adopting a technology that solidifies the quartz sand filler to further limit the spread of the arc channel, thereby increasing the arc voltage generated when the fusible element breaks and enhancing the arc-extinguishing ability of the quartz sand. The curing of existing quartz sand fillers generally requires the use of a dedicated curing oven, which requires several hours or even tens of hours under high temperature and pressure (with steam) to achieve the curing effect. This consumes a lot of energy and greatly increases the cost of the product. Therefore, this invention proposes a low-temperature curing agent material and curing process for quartz sand used in fuses to solve the problems existing in the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention proposes a low-temperature curing agent material and curing process for quartz sand used in fuses. Through different curing agent systems, using varying hardening mechanisms, reinforcement modes, and hydrophilicity improvements, the density, compressive strength, and toughness of the cured quartz sand filler are enhanced. This reduces the expansion of the arc channel when molten metal breaks under high voltage and high current, decreasing post-arc time and arc energy. Furthermore, it reduces the corrosive effects of moisture and other substances in the environment on the quartz sand filler during long-term use, improving the long-term reliability of the fuse product. Additionally, because the quartz sand filler can be cured at low temperatures and in a short time, it eliminates the need for specially customized curing ovens and pressurizing equipment, significantly reducing the company's fixed asset investment, saving energy consumption during production, and lowering product production costs.

[0004] To achieve the objectives of this invention, the invention is implemented through the following technical solution: a low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses, comprising a functional phase, a hardener, and a coating phase, wherein the functional phase is a water glass solution mainly composed of at least one of alkali metal silicates, and the amount of the functional phase added accounts for 75wt%-92wt% of the material; The hardener is at least one of organic esters, and the amount of hardener added accounts for 6wt%-15wt% of the material; The coating phase is one of the high specific surface area nanomaterials, and the amount of the coating phase added accounts for 2wt%-10wt% of the material.

[0005] A further improvement is that the alkali metal silicate is at least one of sodium silicate and potassium silicate.

[0006] A further improvement is that the organic ester is at least one of ethyl acetate, glycerol triacetate, propylene glycol carbonate, butyl acetate, and polyethylene glycol diacetate.

[0007] A further improvement is that the high specific surface area nanomaterial is one of nano-alumina, nano-silica, or silica aerogel.

[0008] A further improvement is that it also includes an acidic catalyst, wherein the amount of the acidic catalyst added accounts for 0wt%-1wt% of the material; the acidic catalyst is one of a strong acid, a weak acid, an acidic salt, or a Lewis acid.

[0009] A further improvement is that: the strong acid is one of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid; the weak acid is one of oxalic acid and citric acid; the acid salt is one of sodium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium bisulfate; and the Lewis acid is one of zinc chloride, aluminum chloride, and zinc acetate.

[0010] A further improvement is that it also includes an alkaline coagulant, wherein the amount of alkaline coagulant added accounts for 0wt%-1wt% of the material; the alkaline coagulant is one of a strong alkali, an alkaline salt, or an alcohol amine compound.

[0011] A further improvement is made in that: the strong base is one of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide; the alkaline salt is one of sodium carbonate and sodium silicate; and the alkaline amine compound is one of triethanolamine and diethanolamine.

[0012] A further improvement is that it also includes a reinforcing phase, wherein the amount of the reinforcing phase added accounts for 0wt%-3wt% of the material, and the reinforcing phase is one of nano-silica or nano-alumina.

[0013] A curing process for a low-temperature curing agent material of quartz sand for fuses includes the following steps: S1: At room temperature, the functional phase is dissolved in water to prepare a water glass solution. Then, the acidic catalyst and the reinforcing phase are slowly added to the water glass solution while stirring to obtain the functional liquid. S2: At room temperature, slowly add an alkaline accelerator to the hardener while stirring to make a hardening liquid, or use the hardener directly as a hardening liquid; S3: Dry mix the quartz sand filler until it is loose and uniform, then add the hardening liquid for wet mixing; S4: Add the functional liquid to the quartz sand treated in S3 and mix until the surface of the sand particles is uniformly coated with the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture, without lumps or free liquid; S5: The coated phase is added to the quartz sand treated by S4, mixed and granulated to form a core-shell structure; S6: Fill the inside of the fusion tube with quartz sand treated with S5; S7: Heat the filled melt tube at room temperature to 60°C to complete the curing.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. This invention improves the density, compressive strength, and toughness of cured quartz sand filler by designing different curing agent systems, using different hardening mechanisms, reinforcement modes, and hydrophilicity improvements. On the one hand, it can reduce the expansion of the arc channel when the molten metal is interrupted under high voltage and high current, thus reducing the after-arc time and arc energy. On the other hand, it can also reduce the corrosive effect of moisture and other substances in the environment on the quartz sand filler during long-term use, thereby improving the long-term reliability of the fuse product.

[0015] 2. This invention avoids the equipment investment of a dedicated curing oven for fuses, and reduces the curing temperature / time from more than 140℃ (under pressure) / more than 5 hours to a curing process of room temperature-60℃ / less than 2 hours, which greatly saves energy consumption in the curing process and reduces product costs.

[0016] 3. By adding a reinforcing phase, this invention can further improve the curing strength of quartz sand filler, thereby enhancing the breaking capacity of the filled fuse products; it also broadens the product categories that can be filled with cured quartz sand. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To enhance understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. These embodiments are only used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] Example 1 according to Figure 1As shown, this embodiment proposes a low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses, comprising a functional phase, a hardener, and a coating phase. The functional phase enables the quartz sand filler particles to first form a three-dimensional network structure through hydrolysis-condensation reaction, and then obtain the required mechanical strength after heating and dehydration. The functional phase is a water glass solution mainly composed of at least one of sodium silicate, potassium silicate, etc.; the amount of the functional phase added accounts for 75wt%~92wt% of the curing agent material of this invention. The hardener reacts with the functional phase to form a three-dimensional network structure, thereby achieving curing. The hardener is at least one of organic esters such as ethyl acetate, glycerol triacetate, propylene glycol carbonate, butyl acetate, polyethylene glycol diacetate, etc.; the amount of the hardener added accounts for 6wt%~15wt% of the curing agent material of this invention. The addition of the coating phase is to give the curing agent material of this invention suitable fluidity, so that it can be uniformly filled into the fuse tube by means of enhanced vibration or pressure. The coating phase works by adhering high specific surface area nanomaterials to the functional phase and the hardener on the surface of quartz sand particles through granulation, thereby drying the surface of the quartz sand particles and giving them fluidity. The coating phase is one of nano-alumina, nano-silica, silica aerogel, or talc (preferably 5000 mesh or finer), and its addition amount accounts for 2wt% to 10wt% of the curing agent material of the present invention.

[0020] A certain amount of acidic catalyst can also be added. The role of the acidic catalyst is to lower the pH value of the system, directly catalyze the hydrolysis of organic esters, accelerate the release of organic acids (such as acetic acid), and shorten the "induction period" (the time for ester hydrolysis to generate acid). Examples of acidic catalysts include strong acids (hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, etc.), weak acids (such as oxalic acid, citric acid, etc.), acidic salts (such as sodium dihydrogen phosphate (NaH2PO4), sodium bisulfate (NaHSO4)), and Lewis acids (such as zinc chloride (ZnCl2), aluminum chloride (AlCl3), zinc acetate), etc. The amount of acidic catalyst added is 0wt%~1wt% of the curing agent material described in this invention.

[0021] A certain amount of alkaline accelerator can also be added. The alkaline accelerator is used to neutralize the acid produced by the hydrolysis of organic esters, increase the initial alkalinity of the system, accelerate the dissociation of silicate ions (SiO32-) in the water glass, form an "acid-base dynamic equilibrium," generate more active silicate monomers (H2SiO3), promote the condensation reaction, and indirectly shorten the hardening time. The types of alkaline accelerators that can be used in the curing agent material of this invention include: strong bases (such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH)), alkaline salts (such as sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium silicate), and alkanolamine compounds (such as triethanolamine, diethanolamine), etc. The amount of the alkaline accelerator added is 0wt%~1wt% of the curing agent material of this invention.

[0022] A certain amount of reinforcing phase can also be added. The addition of the reinforcing phase utilizes the numerous surface active sites provided by the nanoparticles to adsorb silicate ions, thereby promoting rapid nucleation and growth of the gel network and simultaneously improving the compressive strength of the cured system. The reinforcing phase is one of nano-silica (SiO2), nano-alumina (Al2O3), etc., and its addition amount accounts for 0wt%~3wt% of the curing agent material described in this invention.

[0023] A curing process for a quartz sand filler curing agent material for fuses includes the following steps: Functional liquid preparation: At room temperature, the functional phase is dissolved in water to prepare a water glass solution. If available, the acidic catalyst and the reinforcing phase are slowly added to the water glass solution while stirring. The resulting transparent liquid or suspension is the functional liquid of the curing agent material of the present invention. Preparation of hardening solution: If available, at room temperature, slowly add the alkaline accelerator to the hardening agent liquid while stirring, or the hardening agent itself is the hardening solution of the curing agent material described in this invention.

[0024] Hardening liquid mixing with sand: First, add clean quartz sand filler to the sand mixer for dry mixing to ensure the original sand is loose and uniform. Then, weigh the hardening liquid according to the ratio and slowly spray or drip it into the sand for wet mixing.

[0025] Functional liquid sand mixing: Weigh the functional liquid according to the ratio and slowly pour it into the sand mixer. Mix and grind at high speed to make the surface of the sand particles evenly coated with the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture, without lumps or free liquid.

[0026] Coating phase addition: A solid powder with a high specific surface area is added to a sand mixer and mixed at high speed. Through its physical adsorption effect, it coats the surface of the quartz sand particles. Then, it is granulated in a granulator to form a "core-shell" structure of quartz sand-(functional liquid-hardening liquid)-coating phase. This temporarily isolates the condensation reaction between quartz sand particles, allowing the quartz sand filler to have fluidity for a longer period of time.

[0027] Sand mixing and filling: The quartz sand mixture from Step 4 is filled into the inside of the melting tube according to the existing process. For example, the melting tube opening is vertically buried into the quartz sand mixture and vibration is continuously applied so that the mixed sand enters the inside of the melting tube through the sand filling hole; or pressure is applied to force the mixed sand into the inside of the melting tube through the sand filling hole, etc.

[0028] Sand curing: The molten tube filled with quartz sand is placed in a low-temperature oven (e.g., room temperature to 60°C) and heated for 20 to 120 minutes (the curing time is related to the volume of the molten tube, the amount of sand filling inside, the number of products placed, etc., and is not limited). The curing liquid film on the surface of the quartz sand particles reacts faster due to the heat, and the aluminosilicate gel builds a three-dimensional network structure, encapsulating the quartz sand particles and water. Then, as the reaction proceeds, the water evaporates at high temperature, and curing is completed.

[0029] Example 2 according to Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment proposes a low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses, comprising: sodium silicate with a modulus of 2.3 as the functional phase, and glycerol triacetate (GTA, molecular formula C9H) as the curing agent. 14 O6) is used as a hardener, and fumed silica is used as the coating phase. The proportions of each component are as follows:

[0030] Organic esters hydrolyze in alkaline water glass, slowly releasing organic acids and gradually lowering the pH of the system. This promotes the uniform polymerization of silicate ions to form a gel, making it a delayed-curing agent with adjustable curing time. The functional solution mainly consists of sodium silicate aqueous solution, which is strongly alkaline (pH≈2-13), and its main component is silicate ions (SiO3). 2- Sodium ions (Na) + The curing solution is GTA, which contains three ester groups (-COO-). Under alkaline conditions, it can undergo a hydrolysis reaction to release acetic acid (CH3COOH). After mixing alkaline water glass with GTA, the pH of the system gradually decreases, triggering the condensation and solidification of silicate ions, including the following reaction steps: OH in water glass - As a nucleophile, it attacks the ester carbon atom (δ-hydroxyl group) of GTA. + This initiates ester hydrolysis, producing glycerol (glycerol) and acetic acid, as shown in the following reaction formula: The acetic acid (weak acid) produced by hydrolysis reacts with sodium silicate (a strong base-weak acid salt) in the water glass in a neutralization reaction, consuming the OH- ions in the system. - This causes the pH value to decrease, and the reaction equation is: CH3COOH + Na2SiO3 → CH3COONa + H2SiO3. Its function is to neutralize the alkalinity, causing the silicate ions (SiO3) to... 2-The silicic acid monomer (H2SiO3) is converted into active silica monomers, providing raw materials for subsequent polycondensation. Sodium acetate (CH3COONa), as a soluble salt, does not participate in the gel structure, but it affects the ionic strength and the gel network formation rate. Glycerol, as a polyol, is adsorbed onto the surface of the silica chain through hydrogen bonds, delaying the rapid formation of the gel network and extending the workable time (i.e., the "induction period").

[0031] Active silicic acid monomers first undergo intermolecular dehydration condensation to form oligomeric silicic acid (such as dimers and trimers), e.g., nH₂SiO₃ → SiO₂·nH₂O + nH₂O. The oligomers further crosslink through silicon-oxygen bonds (Si-O-Si) to form a three-dimensional network gel structure, encapsulating the sand particles and achieving solidification, e.g., —Si—OH + HO—Si— → —Si—O—Si— + nH₂O. Na in water glass... + As a balancing ion, it can promote the aggregation of silica particles through charge shielding, thus accelerating gel formation. The gel network is composed of cross-linked nano-sized silica particles, which adsorb water and sodium acetate in the pores, forming a porous SiO2 framework after drying.

[0032] The addition of fumed silica powder with high specific surface area may, through its physical adsorption effect, coat the surface of quartz sand particles, forming a "core-shell" structure of quartz sand-(functional liquid-hardening liquid)-coated phase. This temporarily isolates the condensation reaction between quartz sand particles, allowing the quartz sand filler to maintain its fluidity for a longer period. The mechanism can be explained as follows: First, on the surface of the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture, fumed silica, due to its large specific surface area, can adsorb some GTA, reducing the free ester concentration, thus decreasing the initial hydrolysis rate and prolonging the induction period; it can also adsorb Na from water glass. + Ions, reducing free Na in the liquid phase + The concentration of the coating phase increases, thus delaying the crosslinking of silicate ions. As the thickness of the coating phase increases, the contact surfaces of the mixture between quartz sand particles are gradually separated, preventing the polycondensation reaction from proceeding.

[0033] Water glass is strongly alkaline; if mixed directly with GTA, OH- - This can rapidly trigger ester hydrolysis, releasing a large amount of acetic acid in a short time, causing a sharp drop in local pH, and rapid condensation of silicic acid to form blocky gels, resulting in uneven mixing. Therefore, we utilize the porous structure of quartz sand filler as a "dispersion carrier," first uniformly adsorbing GTA onto the surface of the filler, and then adding water glass, allowing the alkaline solution and acidic ester hydrolysis products to react gradually in dynamic mixing, avoiding excessively high local acidity.

[0034] A curing process for a low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand filler used in fuses includes the following steps: S1: Preparation of functional solution: At room temperature, first add 84.2g of sodium silicate to 200g of water and stir to dissolve it into a water glass solution to obtain the functional solution.

[0035] S2: Hardening liquid mixing with sand: Add 4 kg of clean quartz sand filler to the sand mixer and dry mix for 1-2 minutes to ensure the original sand is loose and uniform. Weigh 7.03 g of hardening liquid according to the ratio, and slowly spray or drip it into the sand. Mix and grind at high speed for 10-20 minutes.

[0036] S3: Functional liquid sand mixing: Slowly pour the functional liquid obtained in S1 into the sand mixer and mix at high speed for 5 to 10 minutes to make the surface of the sand particles uniformly coated with the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture, without lumps or free liquid.

[0037] S4: Coating Phase Addition: First, add 3.51g of fumed silica solid powder to the sand mixer and mix at high speed for 10-20 minutes to form a uniform coating layer on the surface of the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture. Then, remove the mixture and pour it into the granulator. Next, add 5.26g of fumed silica solid powder to the granulator for granulation to obtain a "core-shell" structure of quartz sand-(functional liquid-hardening liquid)-coating phase. This temporarily isolates the condensation reaction between quartz sand particles, allowing the quartz sand filler to maintain its fluidity for a longer period of time.

[0038] S5: Sand Mixing and Filling: Place the fuse product with the sand filling hole facing upwards on the vibrating sand machine fixture, then pour in the quartz sand mixed filler obtained in S4, covering the fuse product to a certain height. Vibration is used to fill the inside of the fuse tube with the quartz sand mixed filler, achieving the required filling density.

[0039] S6: Sand Curing: Place the sand-filled fuse product in a 50℃ oven for 30 minutes to complete the final curing stage and obtain a fuse product filled with cured quartz sand.

[0040] High temperatures accelerate the hydrolysis of esters on the surface of quartz sand, disrupting the inherent equilibrium. Furthermore, fumed silica powder gradually dissolves into the water in the mixture, generating silicate ions that form a gradient polymerization with water glass silicate ions, shortening the cross-linking distance of silicate chains and increasing the gel network formation rate. Simultaneously, as an active filler, silicate particles preferentially nucleate and grow on the surface of nano-SiO2, forming a "core-shell" structured gel. Through the formation of chemical bonds (Si-O-Si bonds) between the surface silanol groups and the silicate gel, they are embedded in the three-dimensional network, making the gel network denser, reducing porosity, and improving compressive strength.

[0041] Performance verification: By comparing the fuse products obtained by using the quartz sand mixed filler of the present invention with the fuse products obtained by the existing high temperature and high pressure curing process, under the same breaking voltage and current conditions, the arc after time and arc energy are shortened by more than 30% compared with the products of the existing curing process.

[0042] Example 3 according to Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment proposes a low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses, comprising sodium silicate with a modulus of 2.8 as the functional phase, glycerol triacetate (GTA) as the curing agent, zinc chloride as the catalyst, and nano-zinc oxide as the coating phase. The proportions of each component are as follows:

[0043] The role of adding zinc chloride in this embodiment is mainly reflected in the following aspects: As an acidic substance, it promotes the hydrolysis of sodium silicate: The solidification of water glass (sodium silicate) is achieved through a hydrolysis-condensation reaction to form a three-dimensional silicon-oxygen network structure. Zinc chloride is a Lewis acid and undergoes hydrolysis in aqueous solution. HCl (H+) produced by hydrolysis + The presence of silicate ions can lower the pH of the system, shorten the induction period of the curing reaction, and accelerate the formation of silicate sol: Na₂O·nSiO₂ + H⁺ → NaOH + nSiO₂·H₂O (silica sol). Furthermore, in an acidic environment, the repolymerization of silicate ions can be inhibited, causing them to precipitate as smaller particles, which is beneficial for subsequent condensation polymerization to form a denser network.

[0044] Synergistic regulation of curing speed with GTA: GTA, as an ester-based curing agent, primarily cures through the slow hydrolysis releasing acetic acid (CH3COOH), gradually lowering the system's pH and promoting the condensation of silica sol. In the presence of zinc chloride, on one hand, the rate of zinc chloride hydrolysis to HCl is much faster than the rate of GTA hydrolysis to acetic acid, thus rapidly lowering the pH and initiating the curing reaction in the early stages. On the other hand, the slow hydrolysis of GTA prevents a sudden drop in system pH, while the acidity of zinc chloride compensates for the initial insufficient acidity of ester-based curing agents. The combination of these two factors allows for the regulation of the curing speed's stability, preventing excessively rapid or incomplete curing.

[0045] Participating in the formation of complex gel networks: Zn 2+ As a high-valence cation, it can react with negatively charged groups in silica sol (such as -SiO). - This forms ion bridges, promoting the aggregation and condensation of sol particles and accelerating the formation of gel networks. Additionally, Zn... 2+ It can also be embedded in the silicon-oxygen network to form Zn-O-Si bonds or enhance the crosslinking density of the network through electrostatic interaction, thereby improving the mechanical strength and water resistance of the cured product.

[0046] Suppressing side reactions and improving process performance: Under alkaline conditions, sodium silicate is prone to irreversible polymerization, forming large precipitates. However, the acidic environment of zinc chloride can inhibit this process, allowing silicic acid to exist in a uniform sol form, ensuring a dense structure after curing.

[0047] A curing process for a low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand filler used in fuses includes the following steps: S1: Preparation of functional solution: At room temperature, first add 83.3g of sodium silicate to 180g of water and stir to dissolve it into a water glass solution. Then dissolve 0.65g of zinc chloride in 20g of water to form a zinc chloride solution. Add the zinc chloride solution to the water glass solution while stirring. Finally, stir until homogeneous to obtain the functional solution.

[0048] S2: Hardening liquid mixing with sand: Add 4 kg of clean quartz sand filler to the sand mixer and dry mix for 1-2 minutes to ensure the original sand is loose and uniform. Weigh 9.63 g of hardening liquid according to the ratio, and slowly spray or drip it into the sand. Mix and grind at high speed for 10-20 minutes.

[0049] S3: Functional liquid sand mixing: Slowly pour the functional liquid obtained in S1 into the sand mixer and mix at high speed for 2-6 minutes to make the surface of the sand particles uniformly coated with the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture, without lumps or free liquid.

[0050] S4: Coating Phase Addition: First, add 2.57g of nano-zinc oxide solid powder to the sand mixer and mix at high speed for 5-10 minutes to form a uniform coating layer on the surface of the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture. Then, remove the powder and pour it into the granulator. Next, add 3.85g of nano-zinc oxide solid powder to the granulator for granulation to obtain a "core-shell" structure of quartz sand-(functional liquid-hardening liquid)-coating phase. This temporarily isolates the condensation reaction between quartz sand particles, allowing the quartz sand filler to maintain its fluidity for a longer period of time.

[0051] S5: Sand Mixing and Filling: Place the fuse product with the sand filling hole facing upwards on the vibrating sand machine fixture, then pour in the quartz sand mixed filler obtained in S4, covering the fuse product to a certain height. Vibration is used to fill the inside of the fuse tube with the quartz sand mixed filler, achieving the required filling density.

[0052] S6: Sand Curing: Place the sand-filled fuse product in a 35℃ oven for 20 minutes to complete the final curing stage, and obtain the fuse product filled with cured quartz sand.

[0053] First, add zinc chloride to the water glass solution. This allows the zinc chloride to rapidly hydrolyze and produce H₂. +Its characteristics include rapidly lowering the pH of the system and activating the hydrolysis reaction of sodium silicate. After adding GTA, the GTA slowly hydrolyzes to release acetic acid, maintaining the acidic environment of the system. This, combined with the rapid acidification of zinc chloride, forms a "two-stage acidification," ensuring the continued progress of the curing reaction.

[0054] Over time, the nano-zinc oxide coating on the surface of the quartz sand particles gradually absorbs moisture from the water glass system, accelerating the interfacial reaction. As an amphoteric oxide, nano-zinc oxide can also react with OH groups in the alkaline water glass system. - Ions react to form: ZnO + 2OH- - +H₂O→Zn(OH)₄ 2- Consume OH - And release Zn 2+ This lowers the pH value of the system, creating a synergistic effect with the acidification of zinc chloride.

[0055] Zn 2+ As a high-valence cation, it can be adsorbed onto the surface of silica colloidal particles through electrostatic interactions, compressing the electric double layer, reducing colloidal stability, accelerating the collision and aggregation of sol particles, and promoting the transformation of silica from sol to gel. The gel network.

[0056] It can also neutralize the silicic acid produced by the hydrolysis of GTA: ZnO + 2CH3COOH → (CH3COO)2Na + H2O, producing zinc acetate (a water-soluble salt). The released H2O may increase the humidity of the system, indirectly affecting the hydrolysis equilibrium of water glass.

[0057] Nano-ZnO, acting as a "nanofiller," can embed itself into the gaps in the silica gel network, reducing the porosity of the cured product and refining the gel particle size from the micrometer to the submicrometer level. Through hydrogen bonds formed between surface hydroxyl groups and silicon-oxygen bonds (-Si-O-Si-), it enhances the network cross-linking degree and improves the compressive strength of the cured product. 2+ It can also react with silicate to generate zinc silicate (Zn2SiO4) nanocrystals, thereby improving the high temperature resistance and mechanical strength of the product.

[0058] Performance verification: By comparing the fuse products obtained by using the quartz sand mixed filler of the present invention with the fuse products obtained by the existing high temperature and high pressure curing process, under the same breaking voltage and current conditions, the arc after time and arc energy are shortened by more than 50% compared with the products of the existing curing process.

[0059] Example 4 Referring to the component ratios of the low-temperature curing agent material described in Example 3, the stirring time in step S3 of the curing process is very short and needs to be precisely controlled; otherwise, it can easily lead to rapid aggregation of the silica sol, forming an uneven structure and affecting the strength of the cured product. Therefore, steps S1 to S3 of the curing process in this example can be adopted as follows: S1: Preparation of functional liquid: At room temperature, first add 83.3g of sodium silicate to 200g of water and stir to dissolve it into a water glass solution, which is the functional liquid of the curing agent material described in this invention.

[0060] S2: Preparation of curing solution: At room temperature, first dissolve 0.65g of zinc chloride in 10g of anhydrous ethanol to form a zinc chloride solution, then add it to 9.63g of glycerol triacetate and stir evenly to form the curing solution of the curing agent material described in this invention.

[0061] S3: Hardening liquid mixing: Add 4 kg of clean quartz sand filler to the sand mixer and dry mix for 1-2 minutes to ensure the original sand is loose and uniform. Slowly spray the hardening liquid obtained in S2 into the quartz sand filler and mix at high speed for 10-20 minutes.

[0062] S4: Functional liquid sand mixing: Slowly pour the water glass solution obtained in S1 into the sand mixer and mix at high speed for 5 to 10 minutes to make the surface of the sand particles uniformly coated with the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture, without lumps or free liquid.

[0063] This embodiment utilizes the inert solvent environment of glycerol triacetate to suppress the rapid hydrolysis of zinc chloride by mixing zinc chloride and glycerol triacetate in a specific ratio to form a homogeneous solution, thus synchronizing the release of acid with the hydrolysis of the ester. In this way, the curing reaction process of water glass can be controlled as follows: Initially: A small amount of zinc chloride hydrolyzes to provide low-strength acidity, initiating the slow formation of silica sol.

[0064] Mid-term: Glycerol triacetate gradually hydrolyzes to release acetic acid, which, combined with the acidity of zinc chloride, accelerates sol-gel polycondensation.

[0065] Post-production: Zn 2+ Ions promote cross-linking of the gel network, forming a dense structure.

[0066] Therefore, according to the steps of adding the hardening liquid and the functional liquid in this embodiment, the curing process of water glass is uniform and controllable. As the acidic environment in the system gradually increases, the rapid solidification of sodium silicate can be avoided, which is more conducive to the formation of a uniform silicon-oxygen network.

[0067] This invention improves the density, compressive strength, and toughness of cured quartz sand filler through different curing agent systems, using varying hardening mechanisms, reinforcement modes, and hydrophilicity enhancement. On one hand, it reduces the expansion of the arc channel when the molten metal breaks under high voltage and high current, decreasing post-arc time and arc energy. On the other hand, it reduces the corrosive effects of moisture and other substances in the environment on the quartz sand filler during long-term use, improving the long-term reliability of the fuse. Simultaneously, this invention avoids the investment in dedicated fuse curing ovens, reducing the curing temperature / time from over 140℃ (pressurized) / 5 hours to room temperature -60℃ / 2 hours, significantly saving energy consumption and reducing product costs. Furthermore, the addition of reinforcing phases further enhances the curing strength of the quartz sand filler, thereby improving the breaking capacity of the filled fuse. It also broadens the product categories that can be filled with cured quartz sand; for example, products using heat-sensitive plastic shells as fuse tubes can also benefit from the improved breaking capacity through the curing of the quartz sand filler of this invention.

[0068] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses, comprising a functional phase, a hardener, and a coating phase, characterized in that: The functional phase is a water glass solution prepared with at least one of alkali metal silicates as the main component, and the amount of the functional phase added accounts for 75wt%-92wt% of the material; The hardener is at least one of organic esters, and the amount of hardener added accounts for 6wt%-15wt% of the material; The coating phase is one of the high specific surface area nanomaterials, and the amount of the coating phase added accounts for 2wt%-10wt% of the material.

2. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 1, characterized in that: The alkali metal silicate is at least one of sodium silicate and potassium silicate.

3. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 1, characterized in that: The organic ester is at least one of ethyl acetate, glycerol triacetate, propylene glycol carbonate, butyl acetate, and polyethylene glycol diacetate.

4. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high specific surface area nanomaterial is one of nano-alumina, nano-silica, or silica aerogel.

5. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an acidic catalyst, the amount of which is 0wt%-1wt% of the material; the acidic catalyst is one of a strong acid, a weak acid, an acid salt, or a Lewis acid.

6. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 5, characterized in that: The strong acid is one of hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid; the weak acid is one of oxalic acid and citric acid; the acid salt is one of sodium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium bisulfate; and the Lewis acid is one of zinc chloride, aluminum chloride, and zinc acetate.

7. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an alkaline coagulant, wherein the amount of alkaline coagulant added accounts for 0wt%-1wt% of the material; the alkaline coagulant is one of a strong alkali, an alkaline salt, or an alkanolamine compound.

8. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 7, characterized in that: The strong base is one of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide; the alkaline salt is one of sodium carbonate and sodium silicate; and the alkaline amine compound is one of triethanolamine and diethanolamine.

9. The low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a reinforcing phase, the amount of which is 0wt%-3wt% of the material, and the reinforcing phase is one of nano-silica or nano-alumina.

10. A curing process for a low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses, comprising applying the low-temperature curing agent material for quartz sand used in fuses as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: At room temperature, the functional phase is dissolved in water to prepare a water glass solution. Then, the acidic catalyst and the reinforcing phase are slowly added to the water glass solution while stirring to obtain the functional liquid. S2: At room temperature, slowly add an alkaline accelerator to the hardener while stirring to make a hardening liquid, or use the hardener directly as a hardening liquid; S3: Dry mix the quartz sand filler until it is loose and uniform, then add the hardening liquid for wet mixing; S4: Add the functional liquid to the quartz sand treated in S3 and mix until the surface of the sand particles is uniformly coated with the functional liquid-hardening liquid mixture, without lumps or free liquid; S5: The coated phase is added to the quartz sand treated by S4, mixed and granulated to form a core-shell structure; S6: Fill the inside of the fusion tube with quartz sand treated with S5; S7: Heat the filled melt tube at room temperature to 60°C to complete the curing.

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