Editing Silicate (section)

===Reactions===
{{Biomineralization sidebar|geologic forms}}
Silicates are generally inert chemically.  Hence they are common minerals. Their resiliency also recommends their use as building materials.

When treated with calcium oxides and water, silicate minerals form [[Portland cement]].

Equilibria involving hydrolysis of silicate minerals are difficult to study. The chief challenge is the very low solubility of SiO<sub>4</sub><sup>4-</sup> and its various protonated forms. Such equilibria are relevant to the processes occurring on geological time scales.<ref name=knight/><ref name=GBAlex>G. B. Alexander (1953): "The Reaction of Low Molecular Weight Silicic Acids with Molybdic Acid". ''Journal of the American Chemical Society, volume 75, issue 22, pages 5655–5657. {{doi|10.1021/ja01118a054}}</ref>  Some plants excrete ligands that dissolve silicates, a step in [[biomineralization]].

Catechols can depolymerize SiO₂—a component of silicates with ionic structures like orthosilicate (SiO₄⁴⁻), metasilicate (SiO₂³⁻), and pyrosilicate (Si₂O₆⁷⁻)—by forming bis- and tris(catecholate)silicate dianions through coordination.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mazaheri |first=Omid |date=14 November 2024 |title=Assembly of Silicate–Phenolic Network Coatings with Tunable Properties for Controlled Release of Small Molecules |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/adma.202413349 |journal=Advanced Materials |doi=10.1002/adma.202413349}}</ref> This complexes can be further coated on various substrates for applications such as drug delivery systems, antibacterial and antifouling applications.