Abstract: An electroless or electrolytic process for treating metallic surfaces is disclosed. The disclosed process exposes the metallic surface to a first medium comprising at least one silicate, and then to a second medium comprising colloidal silica (additional processing steps can be employed before, between and after exposure to the first and second mediums). The first and second mediums can be electrolytic or electroless.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to treating a silicate medium and using the treated medium for improving the surface of metallic or electrically conductive materials. The treated medium provides a silicate medium having a defined degree of polymerization and predetermined quantities of the desired silicate polymer. The treated silicate medium can be employed in an electroless or electrolytic process.

Abstract: An electroless or electrolytic process for treating metallic surfaces is disclosed. The disclosed process exposes the metallic surface to a first medium comprising at least one silicate, and then to a second medium comprising colloidal silica (additional processing steps can be employed before, between and after exposure to the first and second mediums). The first and second mediums can be electrolytic or electroless.

Abstract: Improved silicate drilling fluids are produced by the addition of tetra alkyl ammonium compounds, in particular tetra methyl ammonium hydroxide to silicate drilling fluid mud to lower the co-efficient of friction between drill string and wellbore. It has also been discovered that the same tetra alkyl ammonium lubricant compounds greatly lessen the viscosity breakdown of swelled hectorite clay in the presence of silicate. This allows the preparation of silicate drilling fluids not only with enhanced lubricity but having stable rheology at the higher temperature and pressures encountered in some drilling operations.

Abstract: An electroless or electrolytic process for treating metallic surfaces is disclosed. The disclosed process exposes the metallic surface to a first medium comprising at least one silicate, and then to a second medium comprising colloidal silica (additional processing steps can be employed before, between and after exposure to the first and second mediums). The first and second mediums can be electrolytic or electroless.

Abstract: A method for purifying commercial alkali metal silicate solutions involves passing the alkali metal silicate solution through a nanofiltration device having a membrane with a molecular weight cutoff of between about 400 to about 3,000 daltons. Preferably, the molecular weight cutoff is between about 400 and about 1,000 daltons and, more preferably, between about 400 and about 800 daltons. In this way, a large portion of impurities in alkali metal silicate solutions, which tend to become associated with higher molecular weight silicates, can be removed. A pressure differential may be used to drive the solution across the device, from which a permeate is withdrawn as a purified alkali metal silicate solution. The retentate from the device is preferably recycled to the feed alkali metal silicate solution to form a mixture, and the mixture is introduced to the nanofiltration device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of increasing the silica to metal oxide ratio in alkali metal silicate solutions by removing smaller size anions from the solution using a strong cation exchange resin comprising: condensing the smaller size anions as silica in the pores of the strong cation exchange resin; leaving the larger, more siliceous anions in the external solution.