What are the wetting ability of 37% sodium aluminate?
Jun 10, 2025
Hey there! As a supplier of 37% Sodium Aluminate Content, I often get asked about the wetting ability of 37% sodium aluminate. So, I thought I'd take some time to dive into this topic and share what I know.


First off, let's talk a bit about sodium aluminate itself. Sodium aluminate is a chemical compound that has a wide range of applications. It's commonly used in water treatment, paper making, and as an accelerator in the construction industry. You can find more info about its uses in paper making at Sodium Aluminate for Paper Making and as an accelerator at Sodium Aluminate for Accelerator. And if you're curious about the specific 1302 - 42 - 7 sodium aluminate, check out 1302 - 42 - 7 Sodium Aluminate.
Now, onto the wetting ability. Wetting is all about how well a liquid spreads over a solid surface. In the case of 37% sodium aluminate, its wetting ability is quite interesting and useful in various industrial processes.
How does the wetting ability work?
The wetting ability of 37% sodium aluminate is mainly due to its chemical properties. When sodium aluminate is dissolved in water, it forms a solution with certain surface - active properties. These properties allow the solution to reduce the surface tension between the liquid and the solid surface it comes into contact with.
Surface tension is like an invisible elastic skin on the surface of a liquid. When you try to spread a liquid on a solid, the surface tension can make it difficult for the liquid to cover the surface evenly. But when 37% sodium aluminate is present in the solution, it can lower this surface tension. As a result, the liquid can spread more easily and cover a larger area of the solid surface.
For example, in water treatment plants, when sodium aluminate is added to the water, it can help the water wet the surfaces of suspended particles more effectively. This is crucial because it allows the coagulation and flocculation processes to work better. Coagulation is the process of making small particles clump together, and flocculation is the further aggregation of these clumps. By improving the wetting ability of the water, sodium aluminate helps the coagulants and flocculants to interact with the particles more efficiently, leading to better removal of impurities from the water.
Applications based on wetting ability
Water treatment
As mentioned earlier, in water treatment, the wetting ability of 37% sodium aluminate plays a vital role. When treating raw water from rivers, lakes, or groundwater, there are often many fine particles suspended in the water. These particles can be difficult to remove directly. But when sodium aluminate is added, it helps the water to wet these particles. This enables the coagulants to attach to the particles more easily and form larger flocs. These flocs can then be easily settled or filtered out, leaving the water cleaner.
Paper making
In the paper - making industry, wetting is also very important. Paper is made from wood pulp, which consists of many cellulose fibers. When making paper, the pulp needs to be evenly distributed on the paper - making machine. 37% sodium aluminate can be used to improve the wetting of the pulp fibers by the water in the papermaking process. This ensures that the fibers are well - dispersed and can form a uniform paper sheet. It also helps in the retention of fillers and additives in the paper, which can improve the quality of the final paper product.
Construction
In the construction industry, especially in concrete production, sodium aluminate is used as an accelerator. The wetting ability of 37% sodium aluminate helps the water in the concrete mix to wet the cement particles more effectively. This promotes better hydration of the cement, which is the chemical reaction that makes the concrete harden. By improving the wetting of the cement particles, sodium aluminate can speed up the setting and hardening process of the concrete, reducing the construction time.
Factors affecting wetting ability
Concentration
The concentration of sodium aluminate in the solution can have a significant impact on its wetting ability. Generally, within a certain range, as the concentration of 37% sodium aluminate increases, the wetting ability also improves. However, if the concentration is too high, it can lead to other problems, such as increased viscosity of the solution. High viscosity can make it more difficult for the liquid to spread, counteracting the positive effect on wetting.
Temperature
Temperature also affects the wetting ability. Higher temperatures usually increase the kinetic energy of the molecules in the solution. This can enhance the mobility of the sodium aluminate molecules and the water molecules, making it easier for the solution to spread over the solid surface. However, extremely high temperatures can also cause chemical reactions in the solution that may change its properties and reduce the wetting ability.
Surface properties of the solid
The nature of the solid surface also matters. Different solid materials have different surface energies. A solid with a high surface energy is easier to wet than one with a low surface energy. For example, metals usually have relatively high surface energies, so 37% sodium aluminate solutions can wet metal surfaces more easily compared to some plastic surfaces, which have lower surface energies.
Quality control of wetting ability
As a supplier of 37% Sodium Aluminate Content, we pay a lot of attention to ensuring the quality of the wetting ability of our product. We conduct various tests to measure the surface tension of the solutions made from our sodium aluminate. By measuring the surface tension, we can get an idea of how well the solution will wet different surfaces.
We also test the product in different application scenarios to make sure it meets the specific requirements of our customers. For example, we test it in water treatment simulators to see how well it helps in the removal of impurities, and in paper - making and concrete - making laboratories to evaluate its performance in those industries.
Conclusion
The wetting ability of 37% sodium aluminate is a very important property that has a wide range of applications in different industries. Whether it's in water treatment, paper making, or construction, its ability to reduce surface tension and improve wetting is crucial for the efficiency and quality of the processes.
If you're in an industry that could benefit from the wetting ability of 37% sodium aluminate, I'd encourage you to get in touch with us. We can provide you with high - quality 37% sodium aluminate and discuss how it can be best used in your specific processes. So, don't hesitate to reach out for more information and start a procurement discussion.
References
- Some general chemistry textbooks on surface chemistry and industrial applications of chemical compounds.
- Industry reports on water treatment, paper making, and construction materials.
