Silica gel 100gram/bag. Once saturated with water, the gel can be regenerated by heating it to 120 °C (250 °F) for 1–2 hours. "Applications Desiccant Silica gel is a commonly used desiccant as beads packed in a permeable bag See also: Desiccant In many items, moisture encourages the growth of mold and spoilage. Condensation may also damage other items like electronics and may speed the decomposition of chemicals, such as those in vitamin pills. Through the inclusion of silica gel packets, these items can be preserved longer. Silica gel may also be used to keep the relative humidity (RH) inside a high frequency radio or satellite transmission system waveguide as low as possible (see also Humidity buffering). Excessive moisture buildup within a waveguide can cause arcing inside the waveguide itself, damaging the power amplifier feeding it. Also, the beads of water that form and condense inside the waveguide change the characteristic impedance and frequency, degrading the signal. It is common for a small compressed air system (similar to a small home aquarium pump) to be employed to circulate the air inside the waveguide over a jar of silica gel. Silica gel is also used to dry the air in industrial compressed air systems. Air from the compressor discharge flows through a bed of silica gel beads. The silica gel adsorbs moisture from the air, preventing damage at the point of use of the compressed air due to condensation or moisture. The same system is used to dry the compressed air on railway locomotives, where condensation and ice in the brake air pipes can lead to brake failure. Silica gel is sometimes used as a preservation tool to control relative humidity in museum and library exhibitions and storage. Other applications include diagnostic test strips, inhalation devices, syringes, drug test kits and hospital sanitation kits. Chemistry Chromatography column In chemistry, silica gel is used in chromatography as a stationary phase. In column chromatography, the stationary phase is most often composed of silica gel particles of 40–63 ?m. Different particle sizes are used for achieving a desired separation of certain molecular sizes. In this application, due to silica gel's polarity, non-polar components tend to elute before more polar ones, hence the name normal phase chromatography. However, when hydrophobic groups (such as C18 groups) are attached to the silica gel then polar components elute first and the method is referred to as reverse phase chromatography. Silica gel is also applied to aluminium, glass, or plastic sheets for thin layer chromatography. The hydroxy (OH) groups on the surface of silica can be functionalized to afford specialty silica gels that exhibit unique stationary phase parameters. These so-called functionalized silica gels are also used in organic synthesis and purification as insoluble reagents and scavengers. Chelating groups have also been covalently bound to silica gel. These materials have the ability to remove metal ions selectively from aqueous media. Chelating groups can be covalently bound to polyamines that have been grafted onto a silica gel surface producing a material of greater mechanical integrity. Silica gel is also combined with alkali metals to form a M-SG reducing agent. Silica gel is not expected to biodegrade in either water or soil.[6] Cat litter Silica gel is also used as cat litter,[7] by itself or in combination with more traditional materials, such as clays including bentonite. It is trackless and virtually odorless. Purchasing silica in the form of cat litter can be an easy and cost-effective way for retail consumers to purchase silica gel for use in other applications, such as maintaining the desired relative humidity in humidors, keeping tools or other materials rust-free in damp environments or long-term storage, and preserving dried food. Food additive Silica gel, also referred to as silica aerogel or hydrated silica, has FDA GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, meaning it can be added to food products without needing approval. Silica is allowed to be added to food in the US at up to 2% as permitted under 21 CFR 172.480. In the EU it can be in up to 5% concentrations.[8] Listed uses include: anticaking agent, defoaming agent, stabilizer, adsorbent, carrier, conditioning agent, chillproofing agent, filter aid, emulsifying agent, viscosity control agent, and anti-settling agent.[9] Water Filtration Given the water adsorption properties of silica gel, it is used in domestic water filters such as the commercialized brand ZeroWater. The surface structure of silica gel allows the adsorption of some minerals which are dissolved in the water,[10] or "Ion-exchange" as it is marketed, the lack of regulations for domestic water filtration products, there are no studies which validate the manufacturer claims regarding the effectiveness of the filtration system. Humidity indicator Main article: Humidity indicator Indicating Silica Gel Silica gel may be doped with a moisture indicator that gradually changes its color when it transitions from the anhydrous (dry) state, to the hydrated (wet) state. Common indicators are cobalt(II) chloride and methyl violet. Cobalt (II) chloride is deep blue when dry and pink when wet. It is toxic and carcinogenic, and was reclassified by the European Union in July 2000 as a toxic material.[citation needed] Methyl violet can be formulated to change from orange to green, or orange to colorless. It is also toxic and potentially carcinogenic, but is safe enough to have medicinal uses. Hazards Silica gel is non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-reactive and stable with ordinary usage. It will react with hydrogen fluoride, fluorine, oxygen difluoride, chlorine trifluoride, strong acids, strong bases, and oxidizers.[6] Silica gel is irritating to the respiratory tract and may cause irritation of the digestive tract, and dust from the beads may cause irritation to the skin and eyes, so precautions should be taken.[11] Crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis but synthetic amorphous silica gel is indurated, and so does not cause silicosis." Source: Wikipedia
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