Silica Gel and Its Properties

Silica gel is a small bead, porous in nature. It is derived from silicon dioxide, which is normally found in sand. It is represented by the formula SiO2. Although Silica Gel is not plastic, neither is it plastic-free. Apart from its use as a packaging material, it is used in chromatography and water filtration.

If you are wondering what makes silica gel the most suitable material for packing, read on !

Silica gel is desiccant- It can absorb moisture by attracting the water molecules and locking the moisture.

Silica gel appears like a translucent solid.

Uses of Silica Gel as a Packing Material

Silica gel is used as a packing material for various reasons.

To absorb moisture – Silica gel is made from Sodium Silicate which is highly absorptive in nature. Silica gel is always packed in tiny, porous paper bags to allow water molecules to enter and as soon as they do, they get absorbed by the gel inside.

To eliminate odour – Have you ever experienced bad odour when you open a cardboard that was kept closed for a long time? I’m sure you hated that experience and would never want to be treated that way by any company. This happens because any product that is ever manufactured undergoes a series of physical and chemical reactions that often include treatment with chemicals. These chemicals leave a bad odour when they are packed in carton boxes, which are unopened for a long duration. Silica gel when used as a packing material, eliminates the bad odour by trapping the extra moisture from the goods.

To prevent the growth of molds – Changes in the weather conditions like winter, rain or increase in the humidity, provides a perfect condition for molds to grow. It is a form of fungus that grows inside a closed container when sealed from air for a long time. Silica gel is the perfect solution for preventing the growth of molds inside the packaged goods.

Increases the life of the product – There are food materials like cereals, biscuits, bread, vitamin supplies, and pet food that can get soggy and become unusable if something is not done to prevent the moisture from entering them. Silica gel is extremely useful in packing these kinds of goods.

Other Uses of Silica Gel

Silica gel has become a household item owing to its properties as described in this article. We often end end up collecting the silica gel packets that we receive in our deliveries as it can be used for various reasons such as

Drying your mobile phone : Accidentally dropped your glass of water on your mobile and don’t know how to dry it completely? Quickly grab a few silica gel packets and put in a plastic cover along with your phone and seal it away for a day. You’ll thank us later for this tip !

Bad odour and dampness on your old photos? Use a silica gel packet and see the magic !

Silica gel can absorb water 5 times in its weight. Next time, you want to experience the fragrance of essential oils in your living room, simply place them in a bowl with packets of silica gel.

Next time when you are packing a gift to your loved one, don’t forget to put a few packets of silica gel in them ! For more such interesting articles, keep following Embibe.

Important Trends and Anomalous Properties of Boron: Group \({\text{III}}\,{\text{A}}\) or \({13^{{\text{th}}}}\) group of the periodic table comprises of six elements, namely Boron \(\left({\text{B}} \right),\) Aluminium...

Last Modified 30-01-2025

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