EVIDENCE THAT POLYWATER IS A COLLOIDAL SILICATE SOL.

A study was made of the anomalous condensation of water and its conversion to polywater in glass and silica capillaries. The condensate was expelled as a sol-like material that on evaporation frequently gave a particulate appearance. The residue was analyzed using the electron probe and found to contain significant amounts of silicon and sodium. These results suggest that the unusual properties of polywater may be due to the presence of silica or silicate. It is further shown that, since alkaline silicate solutions can absorb CO2, the infrared spectra of polywater may actually be due, in part, to bicarbonate ion. Author