Difference between revisions of "Diatomaceous earth"

Revision as of 11:50, 27 April 2013

Diatomites

Description

An absorbent powder composed of the siliceous skeletons of microscopic water plants called diatoms. Diatomaceous earth is composed of 88% silica. The soft, whitish material is used as an inert pigment or filler in paper, paint, brick, tile floor tiles, ceramics, linoleum, plastic, soap, detergent, and a large number of other products. It reduces gloss, acts as a suspending agent, and increases viscosity. It absorbs dyes well and has been used as a base for lake colors. Diatomaceous earth is also used as an absorbent, and poultice since it can absorb up to 4 times its weight of water. Because of its water-absorption capabilities, it is used as a desiccating insecticide and is often mixed in formulations with pyrethrins. Diatomaceous earth has also been used as a decolorizer and filtration aid for purifying oils, fats, and waxes. Diatomaceous earth has replaced asbestos as an insulation for boilers, blast furnaces, because it is more resistant to shrinkage and does not fail at high temperatures. Other uses include insulation sound insulation and as a very mild abrasive in metal (material) polishes and toothpaste.

Diatomaceous earth

Synonyms and Related Terms

diatomite; poudre de diatomes (Fr.); tierra de diatomeas (Esp.); diatomito (Port.); Diatomeenerde, Kieselgur (Deut.); diatomenaarde (Ned.); Celite [Celite]; infusorial earth; kieselguhr; fossil flour; tripolite; Sil-O-Cel; diatomaceous silica; siliceous earth; Super-Cel; Kenite; Diactiv; Primisil;

Other Properties

Soluble in alkalis. Insoluble in acids except HF.

Density	1.9-2.35
Refractive Index	1.435

Hazards and Safety

Inhalation of dust may cause silicosis. Noncombustible.

Diatomaceous earth

Comparisons

Properties of Common Abrasives

Authority

The Dictionary of Paper, American Paper Institute, New York, Fourth Edition, 1980

R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966 Comment: density 2.31 and ref.index.1.435

Ralph Mayer, Ralph Mayer, A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques, Harper and Row Publishers, New York, 1969 (also 1945 printing)

Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982

G.S.Brady, G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971 Comment: p.266

Reed Kay, Reed Kay, The Painter's Guide To Studio Methods and Materials, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1983

Michael McCann, Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979

J. Dawson, J. Dawson, 'Solving Museum Insect Problems: Chemical Control' , CCI Technical Bulletin, Candian Conservation Institute, Ottawa, No. 15

Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976

Art and Architecture Thesaurus Online, http://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabulary/aat/, J. Paul Getty Trust, Los Angeles, 2000

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 == Description ==
-An absorbent powder composed of the siliceous skeletons of microscopic water plants called diatoms. Diatomaceous earth is composed of 88% [fullrecord.asp?name=silica silica]. The soft, whitish material is used as an inert [fullrecord.asp?name=pigment pigment] or [fullrecord.asp?name=filler filler] in [fullrecord.asp?name=paper paper], [fullrecord.asp?name=paint paint], [fullrecord.asp?name=brick brick], [fullrecord.asp?name=floor tile floor tiles], [fullrecord.asp?name=ceramic ceramics], [fullrecord.asp?name=linoleum linoleum], [fullrecord.asp?name=plastic plastic], [fullrecord.asp?name=soap soap], [fullrecord.asp?name=detergent detergent], and a large number of other products. It reduces [fullrecord.asp?name=gloss gloss], acts as a suspending agent, and increases viscosity. It absorbs dyes well and has been used as a base for lake colors. Diatomaceous earth is also used as an [fullrecord.asp?name=absorbent absorbent], and [fullrecord.asp?name=poultice poultice] since it can absorb up to 4 times its weight of water. Because of its water-absorption capabilities, it is used as a desiccating [fullrecord.asp?name=insecticide insecticide] and is often mixed in formulations with [fullrecord.asp?name=pyrethrins pyrethrins]. Diatomaceous earth has also been used as a decolorizer and filtration aid for purifying [fullrecord.asp?name=oil oils], [fullrecord.asp?name=fat fats], and [fullrecord.asp?name=wax waxes]. Diatomaceous earth has replaced [fullrecord.asp?name=asbestos asbestos] as an [fullrecord.asp?name=insulation insulation] for boilers, blast furnaces, because it is more resistant to shrinkage and does not fail at high temperatures. Other uses include [fullrecord.asp?name=sound insulation sound insulation] and as a very mild [fullrecord.asp?name=abrasive abrasive] in metal [fullrecord.asp?name=polish (material) polishes] and toothpaste.
+An absorbent powder composed of the siliceous skeletons of microscopic water plants called diatoms. Diatomaceous earth is composed of 88% [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=silica silica]. The soft, whitish material is used as an inert [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=pigment pigment] or [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=filler filler] in [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=paper paper], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=paint paint], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=brick brick], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=floor tile floor tiles], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=ceramic ceramics], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=linoleum linoleum], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=plastic plastic], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=soap soap], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=detergent detergent], and a large number of other products. It reduces [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=gloss gloss], acts as a suspending agent, and increases viscosity. It absorbs dyes well and has been used as a base for lake colors. Diatomaceous earth is also used as an [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=absorbent absorbent], and [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=poultice poultice] since it can absorb up to 4 times its weight of water. Because of its water-absorption capabilities, it is used as a desiccating [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=insecticide insecticide] and is often mixed in formulations with [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=pyrethrins pyrethrins]. Diatomaceous earth has also been used as a decolorizer and filtration aid for purifying [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=oil oils], [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=fat fats], and [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=wax waxes]. Diatomaceous earth has replaced [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=asbestos asbestos] as an [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=insulation insulation] for boilers, blast furnaces, because it is more resistant to shrinkage and does not fail at high temperatures. Other uses include [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=sound insulation sound insulation] and as a very mild [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=abrasive abrasive] in metal [http://cameo.mfa.org/fullrecord.asp?name=polish (material) polishes] and toothpaste.
 [[File:diatomlargekes.jpg|thumb|Diatomaceous earth]]