You must have seen small packets containing small beads inside the box of newly bought shoes or a box of multivitamins. Have you ever wondered what are they? Well, these small beads are nothing but Silica gel desiccants which are nothing but the chemical compound Silicon dioxide (SiO2), the same compound which is present in quartz, but it is a bit different in the way the individual molecules are arranged to give it a wide variety of breathtaking functions.
The Silicon dioxide ( SiO2) molecules in silica gel are arranged in such a way that there are small spaces(just like a sieve) between the individual molecules which gives it a wide surface area making it capable of being an effective, stable, non-toxic desiccating agent.
Silica gel has been amongst us since medieval times but has been put to use to a variety of functions especially in the industrial and the manufacturing sector as silica gel desiccant in the modern industrial period.
Silica gel desiccant finds a variety of applications in daily life ranging from domestic usage to commercial usage.
Some of the usages of silica gel desiccants can be highlighted as follows:
- Silica gels are used to prevent and control condensation in electronic devices like cameras etc and to revive water damaged electronic appliances.
- Silica gel desiccants can be used as food additives for their effective storage ad they can prevent moisture and the growth of fungi and moulds in the food and extend their shelf life by preventing spoilage.
- Silica gel can also be used to prevent the tarnishing and corrosion of metallic tools like shaving blades and other working tools that we use in our day to day activities.
- Silica gels desiccants can also be placed inside the car to make it humid free during the rainy season and keep it dry.
- Silica gels can also be used in boxes of leather shoes, gym bags etc to reduce and then effectively reduce the musty smell that may arise because of sweat, etc.
- It is also used inside boxes of multivitamins to prevent nutritional degradation.
- They are also used for dry air in industrial complex systems
There are innumerable silica gel pouch manufacturers in the industrial sector and this proliferation is due to the varied usage that silica gel and its derivative desiccant in different areas. Silica gels should be kept away from the reach of children and pets due to their resemblance with sugar and salt, hence may cause choking in them and even can be fatal.
Silica gel pouch manufacturers should think of it as their extended responsibility to make aware by means of caution and warnings on the pouches to prevent the negative externality of the product.
There are three different types of silica gels that are manufactured by the silica gel pouch manufacturers depending on their density and are classified as
- Regular density silica gelsIntermediate density silica gels
- Low-density silica gels
They on the basis of their density find different uses in the different avenues but care should also be taken although it may be chemically inert and lack nutritional value they have the potential to cause intestinal obstruction and irritation to the respiratory and digestive systems. So caution should be taken to keep them in packed, well-sealed pouches by the silica gel manufacturers and balance the dangers and the benefits with the tilt more towards the benefits.
