ortosilikatë

Ortosilikatë are a class of chemical compounds that are salts or esters of orthosilicic acid, H4SiO4. Orthosilicic acid is the simplest of the silicic acids, characterized by a central silicon atom bonded to four oxygen atoms, with each oxygen atom also bonded to a hydrogen atom. In the context of salts, ortosilikatë refer to compounds where the four acidic hydrogen atoms of orthosilicic acid are replaced by metal cations. A common example of an ortosilikatë salt is the mineral olivine, which has the general formula (Mg, Fe)2SiO4. In this structure, magnesium and iron cations balance the negative charge of the silicate anion (SiO4^4-).

Esters of orthosilicic acid, also sometimes referred to as ortosilikatë, are formed when the hydroxyl groups of orthosilicic acid react with alcohols. These compounds typically have the general formula Si(OR)4, where R represents an alkyl or aryl group. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), with the formula Si(OC2H5)4, is a widely used example of an organic ortosilikatë. TEOS serves as a precursor in the sol-gel process for producing silica-based materials, including glasses and ceramics, and is also used as a cross-linking agent in silicone polymers. The reactivity of the silicon-oxygen bonds in ortosilikatë esters makes them valuable in various industrial applications.