Soluble silicates are the systems containing varying proportions of an alkali metal and silica (SiO2), usually with at least some water. M2O-nSiO2-xH2O where M is alkali metal, Na, K or Li. The most common and commercially most used soluble silicates are those of sodium and potassium. The begin of commercial production of sodium silicate was about 1818. Its main processes are fusing of pure sand with soda ash in large open hearth furnaces at temperatures of about 1300℃ and then cooling to glass. Because these glasses are soluble in water, they are commonly called "soluble silicates". Lithium silicates have become commercially available but their production methods are different with ones of sodium silicates or potassium silicates. Soluble silicate solutions are water solutions of soluble silicates. Varying the proportions of silica to alkali metal and solid content results in solutions with differing properties that have many diversified industrial applications.

Soluble silicate solutions have various advantages such as adhesion, binding, deflocculation/suspension, buffering, forming films, anti-corrosion etc and they have been applied in various industries. Their environmental safety, high bonding strength, easy handling, anti-corrosive property, heat-resistance, non flammable property also add their value and make them to be considered as special materials.