“…The effect of pH is somewhat different in that the rate is either retarded or the reaction prevented altogether at high and low pH levels, owing to the formation of high concentrations of silicate anions or un-ionised silicic acid molecules, respectively. Below about pH 2, the rate again increases concomitantly with acidity [59,74], possibly owing to the formation of the cationic species (OH) 3 SiOH 2 + [75]. The pH at which the maximum rate occurs is another area where there is some disagreement, with published values falling in the range pH 6.5±9 [58,69,76,77].…”