Usefulness of Silica Gel Blue and Silica Blue Orange

We always wonder about the usefulness of silica gel packets that come along with the packaging of the things that we buy. These little packaging of these gels are very helpful and is responsible for the successful packaging of the commodities. With the advancement of the technology in the development of silica gel, self-indicating silica gels are now becoming increasingly popular. They are basically of two types, silica gel blue and silica gel orange. These gels are mainly responsible for the absorption of moisture and are kept in small packets. These are granular substances that are made from a chemical substance called silicon silicate. These are made basically by synthetic processes. The end result is translucent, hard granules.

These are basically silica gel that is amorphous and is made into irregular granules that look like beads. These silica gel beads have micro-porous structure that has interlocking cavity that results in high surface area. These self-indicating gels are basically the same as normal indicators but with only the exception that in these gels, chemical or organic components are added that are sensitive to moisture. These chemicals react differently to the different levels of moisture. Their reaction is shown by their color change.  Low vapor density is responsible for the fact that water is able to stay on the surface of the beads. The process of adsorption by these beads gets stopped when the state of equilibrium is attained. This state is basically attained when the vapor pressure of the surface and the surroundings gets equal.

These are used in the industries where excess moisture can cause damage to the goods. The most basic use is for the drying and cleaning of the air and gases. These beads find great use in any kind of a dehumidification process. Silica beads are also used in the drying of analytical sample as they don’t participate in any type of a chemical reaction. They are also used to protect the sensitive optical instruments and lenses from damage caused due to humidity.