Cage Silicate Production via Alkali Silicate and Quaternary Ammonium

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for producing cage silicates face challenges such as the generation of alcohol from silicon alkoxides, requiring dedicated facilities and wastewater treatment, and the handling of precipitated silicic acid with high alkali and mineral acid ions, as well as the use of toxic tetramethylammonium hydroxide.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the use of an aqueous alkali silicate solution and non-toxic quaternary ammonium ions to produce cage silicates, which does not generate alcohol and reduces the need for toxic substances, involving steps of removing cations, mixing with quaternary ammonium, and crystallizing the silicate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If silicon alkoxides such as tetraethoxysilane are used as Si raw material, then cage silicate can be produced, but a large amount of alcohol is generated requiring dedicated facilities and wastewater treatment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecage silicate productionVSAvoidalcohol generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical parameters of the Si raw material from silicon alkoxides (tetraethoxysilane) to precipitated silicic acid, fundamentally altering the reaction pathway to eliminate alcohol generation while maintaining cage silicate production capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful effect of alcohol generation into a benefit by using precipitated silicic acid as the Si source, which naturally contains water and does not generate harmful byproducts, thereby eliminating the need for dedicated alcohol handling facilities

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Object-generated harmful factors

If precipitated silicic acid is used as Si raw material, then alcohol is not generated, but it contains large amount of alkali ions and mineral acid ions making handling difficult and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealcohol generationVSAvoidhandling and washing

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The invention performs preliminary action by pre-treating precipitated silicic acid to remove alkali ions and mineral acid ions before the main reaction, thereby simplifying subsequent handling and washing operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes the harmful components (alkali ions and mineral acid ions) from precipitated silicic acid through preliminary treatment, separating them from the useful Si source material

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If tetramethylammonium hydroxide is used as structure directing agent, then cage silicate can be formed, but it is classified as toxic substance requiring consideration of working environment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecage silicate formationVSAvoidtoxicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention replaces toxic tetramethylammonium hydroxide with non-toxic alternative structure directing agents, eliminating the need for special handling procedures and safety equipment while maintaining effective cage silicate formation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention converts the harmful effect of toxicity into a benefit by selecting non-toxic structure directing agents that achieve the same structural control function without compromising worker safety or requiring special environmental considerations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method allows for the safe and simple industrial production of cage silicates with high yields and short production times, avoiding the issues of alcohol generation and toxic substance handling, and enabling the use of cage silicates as raw materials for polymers and other applications.

Implementation Method 1

an aqueous alkali silicate solution that does not generate alcohol

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrolysis: Hydrolysis

Implementation Method 2

crystallizing the silicate

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCrystallization: Crystallisation

Data Source

PatentUS12012368B2Cage silicate and method for producing the same

Publication Date: 2024.06.18 NISSAN CHEM CORP

AI summary

An object is to provide a cage silicate that can be industrially safely and simply produced by using an alkali silicate solution that does not generate alcohol as a Si raw material and using non-toxic quaternary ammonium, and a method for producing the same. The problem is solved by the following cage silicate:A cage silicate consisting of anion component 1 represented by following formula (1), anion component 2 which is a mineral acid ion, cation component 1 represented by following formula (2), and cation component 2 which is an alkali ion, in which, to the mole number in terms of SiO2, a ratio of the mole number of water, (H2O/SiO2), is 0.7 to 30, a ratio of the mole number of alkali ions, (alkali ions/SiO2), is 1.0×10−7 to 1.0−10−2, and a ratio of the mole number of the mineral acid ions, (mineral acid ions/SiO2), is 1.0×10−7 to 1.0×10−3.In formula (2), R represents an alkyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms.