A Guide to Silica Gel Packets
You must have seen small packs neatly placed inside the carton box that your recent purchase came in. Be it electrical and electronic goods, shoes, and toolboxes, these little packets are extensively used in product packages.
These little hygroscopic packets are actually silica gel packs. The silica gel inside the packs acts as a desiccant, adsorbing water and preventing moisture build-up.
Silica gel prevents dampness and condensation to protect valuable products against rust, mould, mildew and rust. No wonder silica gel sachets are extensively used in packaging solutions & products.
The petite little packets that you find in food products, medicinal bottles and a host of other items contain silica gel pellets. Silica gel’s inordinately high ‘specific surface area’ (approximately 800m2/g) allows it to easily adsorb water which makes it a very effective desiccant. In fact, silica gel is able to adsorb water, equivalent to nearly 40% of its mass in water.
This intrinsic property of silica gel enables it to reduce the relative humidity inside an enclosed area by the same percentage. With time, the silica gel beads become saturated but heating the globules at more than 150ËšC (300F) removes the moisture, making them suitable for reuse.
Most people confuse between absorption and adsorption, thinking that both the terms mean one and the same.
Silica gel adsorbs water vapour or moisture rather than absorbing it. The water molecules adhere to the pellets of silica gel in the form of a thin film, and stay that way. Owing to this unique quality of silica gel, the material is heavily used for arresting condensation and moisture inside product packages.
Silica, chemically known as silicon dioxide, is nearly harmless from the perspective of health and wellbeing. Due to its moisture wicking property, silica finds extensive use for preserving a variety of perishable and non-perishable items like foods, electronic products and shoes.
Silica xerogel granules are packed inside little paper envelopes carrying a ‘do not eat’ label and are often put inside dry food packs for retaining their freshness.
Farmers, gardeners, and cultivators find silica gel packs extremely handy when it comes to preserving seeds, grains and kernels. The silica keeps mould formation on seeds at bay by adsorbing moisture.
Condensation or excessive moisture in bottles containing medicinal tablets and pills could accelerate chemical decomposition thereby rendering the medication ineffective. Slipping in packs of silica gel keeps the expiration date as well as the shelf-life of various medicines intact.
You can make the most of silica gel packets for archiving vital documents including but not limited to birth and marriage certificates, passports and insurance policies.
Silica gel packs find widespread application when it comes to retaining and/or prolonging the edibility of dried meats and dry dog foods. The silica gel beads avert oxidation, thereby checking dried meats from becoming rotten. The antioxidant property of silica gel also helps preserve dried fruits and spices.
USFDA lists silica gel as GRAS (generally accepted as safe) permitting its addition to a host of food products without any approval. Even the EU allows hydrated silica to be used as a food additive, its concentration not exceeding 5%.
Silica gel finds use as an adsorbent, anti-caking agent, emulsifying agent, stabilizer, conditioning agent, anti-settling agent, and viscosity agent.
At Tripak Ltd, we supply an array of packaging solutions & products including silica gel sachets. Contact us today for a free quote.