Silicates and Silicon Compounds Commonly Used in Pharmacy

Silicates and Silicon Compounds
commonly used in Pharmacy

Introduction
• Carbon and silicon belong to the same group
in the period table.
• Apart from pharmacy, compounds of carbon
and silicon have great industrial application.
• Silica is next to oxygen in terms of the most
abundant element on earth.
• In most cases silicon does not appear free in
nature, it is commonly combined with oxygen
forming silicon dioxide - SiO2 also called Silica.
• Silica occurs abundantly in nature in the form of
amorphous and crystalline states.
• As compounds, they act as excellent inert substances
and as filter aids.
• Silica reacts with water to form numerous silicic
acids.
SiO2 + H20 -------------> H2SiO3 Metasilicic acid
SiO2 + 2H20 -------------> H4SiO4 Orthosilicic acid
•These silicic acids occur in nature as silicates i.e. react with

corresponding bases
•All silicic acids are insoluble except in their alkali silicate form
•The alkali silicates that do not occur in nature could be prepared
by reacting silica with desired alkali base.
SiO2 + 4NaOH -------------> Na4 SiO4 + 2H20
Silicate forms
Are available in three forms. These include
1)Chain Silicates
2)Layer Silicates
3)Three dimensional Silicates
Chain Silicates
• Available in nature as asbestors and
attapulgite chains
• Asbestos chains – are used as filter aids and
insulation. Are poor conductors
• Attapulgite chains – have adsorptive
properties similar to kaolin.
• Structurally these compounds consists chains
of magnesium sillicate hydroxides.
Layer Silicates
• Consist of talc and clay minerals.
• Talc is the softest known silicate. Talc layers break easily to
give characteristic smooth feeling. It adheres readily to the
skin, is chemically inert and has very low adsorptive powers. It
has found use in the following
a) Dusting powder – as a protective lubricant to prevent irritation due to friction
b) As a medicated dust preparation in several cosmetics
c) As a filter aid because of its inertness
 Clay minerals include Bentonite and kaolin. Bentonite has
higher silicon dioxide to aluminium oxide ratio. Bentonite
clays lacks Mg and sometime called swelling clays. Bentonite
has gelling properties that make it useful suspending agent
and also it has detergent properties.
 Kaolin has similar properties to Bentonite and is used as
clarifying agent. Also finds use as adsorbent and protective.
Kaolin as dusting powder is official in the compedia.
Three dimensional silicates
• Include Zeolite and magnesium trisilicate
• Mg trisilicate can be made by reacting any soluble
silicate with a soluble Mg salt
Na4SiO4 + H20 + MgCl2 -------------> MgO.3SiO2.3H20
• It is insoluble compound consisting of MgO and

SiO2. MgO is responsible for antacid action
( neutralizes HCl). Silicon dioxide acts as a
protective. Its gelatinous nature covers the ulcer.
• Zeolites are aminosilicate minerals. They have a
porous structure and often used as adsorbents.
Glass
• Glass is a generic term used to identify amorphous solid
materials
• Prepared by fusing a base with pure silica. Bases commonly
used include sodium carbonate, calcium carbonate, sodium
oxide and calcium oxide.
• On heating a clear vitreous mass forms.
• In science, glass refers to every solid that posses a non-
crystalline (amorphous) structure and that exhibits a glass
transition when heated towards the liquid state
• Glass transition is the reversible transition of amorphous
materials from hard and relatively brittle state into a molten
or rubber like state.
• Due to this transition glass can be molded into various shapes
e.g. beverage bottles, pharmaceutical bottles and vials,
windows etc
Glass ingredients
• These are added to modify properties of the glass
a) Manganese oxide- added to hide the blue green colour
of the ion usually present in silica
b) Borate – added to change thermal and electrical
properties. It reduces the co-efficient of expansion
c) Barium – increases refractive index
d) Potassium ion – added to give a brown and light
resistant glass
e) Lead – added to produce lead or flint glass. More
brilliant glass because of increased refractive index
f) Large amounts of iron- added to absorb infrared
energy e.g. heat absorbing filters for movie projectors
• On standing in contact with aqueous solution,
alkali cations can leach from glass into
solution. This leaching process is accelerated
during process e.g. sterilization
• Surface of glass also with adsorbent
properties. This can be a problem when
dealing with very dilute solutions. The
compedia usually specifies the type of glass
container to be used for certain materials
especially during sterilization
• 4 types of glass according to USP
Type I Glass
• Made from boron silicate. Composed principally
of silica and boric acid
• Have highly resistant composition and releases
the least amount of alkali. Has low leachability
and low thermal co-efficient of expansion.
• Commonly used for pharmaceuticals or fine
chemical products that are sensitive to pH
changes.
Type II
• Made from commercial soda-lime glass that
has been de-alkalized to obtain a great
improvement in chemical resistance. This is
done by treating the interior surfaces at high
temperatures to eat away the alkali.
• Type II glass may be suitable for buffered
solutions and products to be maintained
below pH 7.
Type III
• Made of untreated commercial soda-lime glass. Is
acceptable in packaging some dry powders which
are subsequently dissolved to make solutions or
buffers.
• Type II and type III glass have a higher proportion of
Na and Ca oxides. Both types melt at low
temperatures and are easily molded into various
shapes. They however have a higher thermal heat of
expansion than type I and hence not good for
solutions that are to be autoclaved.
Type NP
• General purpose glass.
• Used for non-parenteral applications where
chemical durability and thermal shock are not
factors.
• These containers are frequently used for
capsules, tablets, topical products.
• This glass cannot be used for parenteral
preparations.
SILANES AND SILOXANES
• These are analogs of carbon compounds in which
silicon function replaces one or more carbon atoms.
Apart from silicates and silicons, silanes and
siloxanes are becoming more important in pharmacy
practice.
SiH4 - Silane
SiH3OH - Siloxane.
• Most compounds of interest to pharmacy are
dimethylsiloxanes. Are basically alkyl siloxanes.
Main examples here include simethicone, silicon
rubber, cross-link silicons, dimethicone
Simethicone
• Is a polymeric dimethylsiloxane employed as antifoaming
agent. It reduces the surface tension of gas bubbles casing
them to combine into larger gas bubbles (hence become easy
to pass). It is used as anti-flatulent in gastric bloating.
Simethicone is an important ingredient in antacid
preparations.
Silicon rubber
• Another example of alkylsiloxanes. Are organic silicon
polymers with a wide variety of properties and employed
widely.
Cross-link Silicones
• May exhibit gelly like to solid like properties.
General Uses of Alkylsiloxanes
1. In dermatological preparations: dimethicone used as ingredient of
bases or ointments
2. Used as antiflatulant.i.e simethicone
3. Silicon rubbers are compounds used in various catheters and nasal-
gastric tubes. Silicon exhibit low irritation as a result of its chemical,
physical and bulk mechanical properties.
4. Used as antifoaming agents due to water repellant and non-
irritating properties. Prevent formation of foam or break form
already formed.
5. Silicon fluids are also employed to prevent adhesion between
components and act as release agents.
6. High molecular weight silicone rubbers are used to encapsulate
steroid hormones and other drugs for chronic implantation.
7. In general silicones are odorless, tasteless, water repellant and
relatively inert chemically. They are also stable under high and low
temperatures.

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Silicates and Silicon Compounds

commonly used in Pharmacy

SiO2 + 2H20 -------------> H4SiO4 Orthosilicic acid

•These silicic acids occur in nature as silicates i.e. react with

• It is insoluble compound consisting of MgO and

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