Silikationen

Silikationen is a term that generally refers to silicate anions, which are negatively charged molecular species composed of silicon and oxygen atoms. These anions are fundamental building blocks of silicate minerals, which constitute the vast majority of the Earth's crust. The basic unit of a silicate anion is the [SiO4]4- tetrahedron, where a silicon atom is covalently bonded to four oxygen atoms. However, these tetrahedra can link together by sharing oxygen atoms, forming a wide variety of structures.

These structures range from isolated tetrahedra (orthosilicates) to single chains (inosilicates), double chains (sorosilicates), rings (cyclosilicates), sheets (phyllosilicates), and complex three-dimensional frameworks (tectosilicates). The specific arrangement of these linked tetrahedra, along with the presence of other cations, determines the type of silicate mineral formed and its physical and chemical properties. Examples of common silicate minerals include quartz (SiO2), feldspar, mica, and olivine. Silicate anions play a crucial role in geology, materials science, and even biochemistry, as silicon is an essential element for many organisms.