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Close-up of desiccant beads

All About the Applications of Desiccants

Desiccants absorb humidity and moisture from their surrounding environment in an enclosed space. There are a variety of desiccants available on the market, both for commercial and residential use. However, not every desiccant is made the same way or has the same application.

Let’s take a look at the different applications of desiccants here.

Silica Gel

Silica gel is a very common desiccant. It usually comes in small packets but is also available in larger quantities for larger containers. Silica gel has small beads, which are colloidal silicone dioxide. It’s made from partially dehydrating metasilicic acid, and its pores absorb the water and moisture in the air as it passes through it.

Silica gel has high absorption and is commonly used for protection against rust, moisture contamination, mold growth, and other moisture-related damages in food products, pharmaceutical products, cosmetic products, clothing, leather products, electronic products, and more.

Molecular Sieves

Molecular sieves are another type of desiccant. It’s made of calcium, potassium, sodium, and aluminosilicate and has crystalline micropores. These small pores are used for purifying gases.

Molecular sieves are commonly used in chemical industries where gas emissions need to be purified and separated. Apart from this, it’s also used to lower humidity levels in certain gases and even liquids at high temperatures.

Molecular sieves can now be made with adjustable pore sizes, which is why they can also be used to filter liquids.

Activated Clay

Activated clay, also called montmorillonite clay or bentonite, is a desiccant mainly used for commercial purposes. It’s made by drying magnesium aluminum silicate under a controlled environment.

It protects industrial containers and packages from moisture and works well in low temperatures. It’s often used as an alternative to silica gel in temperature-controlled packages or in places where the temperatures drop significantly.

Activated clay can be used repeatedly, unlike other desiccants discarded after absorbing a certain amount of water and moisture.

Activated clay, a type of desiccant

These are some of the most common desiccants and their applications in industries. If you’re a business that also requires desiccants, you can buy desiccants online from Sorbeads India.

We offer all types of common desiccants of the highest quality, including orange silica gel, blue silica gel, oxygen absorbers, activated clay, molecular sieves, and more.

Get in touch with our team today to learn more about our desiccants.

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