Desiccant Types

Besides the indicating silica gel used in the Dri-Box canister, there are
several other desiccant materials in use today. Below you'll find
information on each, with a short summary of strengths and weaknesses.
For more detailed comparisons consult the charts on our Chart Comparisons
page.
Montmorillonite Clay
Silica Gel
Indicating Silica Gel
Molecular Sieve
Calcium Oxide
Calcium Sulfate
Other Adsorbents
Montmorillonite Clay
Montmorillonite clay is a naturally occurring adsorbent created by the
controlled drying of magnesium aluminum silicate of the sub-bentonite
type. This clay will successfully regenerate for repeated use at very low
temperatures without substantial deterioration or swelling. However, this
property causes clay to give up moisture readily back into the container
as temperatures rise.
Clay is a good basic desiccant that works satisfactorily below 120F
(approximately 50C). Above 120 F, there is a possibility that the clay
will give up moisture rather than pulling it in, so anticipated storage
and transportation conditions should be considered. The upside to clay is
that it is normally the least expensive desiccant per pound.
Clay is highly effective within normal temperature and relative humidity
ranges. Its appearance is that of small gray pellets. Care should be
taken to be sure that any low level impurities in the clay are not
incompatible with the packaged product.
Silica Gel
Silica gel is silicon dioxide (SiO2). It is a naturally occurring mineral
that is purified and processed into either granular or beaded form. As a
desiccant, it has an average pore size of 24 angstroms and has a strong
affinity for moisture molecules. The silica gel will pull in moisture at
temperatures up to 220F (105C). As temperature goes above 100F, the
rate of moisture pickup will slow down but the silica gel will still
work.
Silica gel performs best at room temperatures (70 to 90F) and high
humidity (60 to 90% RH) and will drop the relative humidity in a
container down to around 40% RH. In the United States, silica gel is
commonly used in food and pharmaceutical applications as only silica gel
has been approved by the FDA for direct contact with these items.
As with clay, silica gel, with its wide range of pore sizes, has the
capability of adsorbing compounds other than water. The relative order of
adsorbability is: water, ammonia, alcohols, aromatics, diolefins, olefins
and paraffins. When the potential for multicomponent adsorption is

present, expect the more strongly adsorbed compounds, such as water, to

displace the more weakly held ones.
Indicating Silica Gel
Indicating silica gel is a silica gel bead or granule that has been
washed with a concentration of cobalt chloride ( a heavy metal salt). The
cobalt chloride is a deep blue color when it is dry and turns from blue
to purple to pink as it becomes saturated with moisture. Typically, the
color changes as the desiccant goes past 8% moisture levels (by weight)
and indicates it is time to replace the desiccant.
The most typical use for an indicating silica gel is for a moisture
sensitive product that will be inspected regularly as it gives a quick
visual indication of how well it is doing. Because of the addition of
cobalt chloride, indicating silica gel should not be used in contact with
products for consumption such as food or pharmaceuticals.
The Dri-Box canister is packed with an indicating silica gel that is
regenerable. Instead of replacing the desiccant inside, heating the
canister will reverse the adsorbing action and allow the material to be
reused.
Molecular Sieve
Molecular sieves are porous crystalline aluminosilicates, a synthetic
desiccant that has a very strong affinity for moisture molecules. The
distinctive feature of the molecular sieve structure, as compared to the
other desiccants, is the uniformity of the pore size openings in the
crystal lattice structure.
There is no pore size distribution with molecular sieves. As part of the
manufacturing process, the pore size on the molecular sieve particles can
be controlled. The most commonly used pore size is 4 angstroms (4A)
although 3 angstroms (3A), 5 angstroms (5A) and 10 angstroms (13X) are
available. This feature allows the selection of a molecular sieve product
which can adsorb water, yet exclude most other molecules, such as
volatile organics, which might be present in the package.
For example, Type 3A molecular sieve's structure, with a 3 angstrom pore
opening, allows moisture adsorption, but excludes most hydrocarbons. Type
4A molecular sieve has a slightly higher moisture capacity, but adsorbs
molecules as large as butane. Type 13X molecular sieve has a different
crystal structure from the types 3A and 4A, and has a pore opening of
about 10 angstroms. This allows for the adsorption of a wide range of
organic molecules as well as moisture.
The selective adsorption characteristics of molecular sieves can be
useful when it is necessary to dry a package without removing other
desirable compounds from the system. Molecular sieve can hold moisture to
temperatures well past 450F (230C), and because of its high affinity
for moisture, molecular sieve is able to bring the relative humidity in
packages down as low as 10% RH.
The United States FDA has not approved molecular sieve for direct contact
with consumable items, although in Europe molecular sieve is used with

pharmaceuticals. Being man-made rather than naturally occurring,

molecular sieve is slightly higher in cost per unit, but due to its
extremely large range of adsorptive capabilities, it might often be the
best value, especially in areas of low relative humidity.
Lack of government approval for the use of molecular sieves in food and
drug packaging has limited its more widespread use. Independent testing
suggest that molecular sieves meet government requirements. Presumably,
however, the industry has been unwilling to fund the expensive testing
required for government approval.
Calcium Oxide
Calcium oxide is calcinated or recalcinated lime having a moisture
adsorptive capacity of not less than 28.5% by weight. The distinguishing
feature of calcium oxide (also known as quicklime) is that it will adsorb
a much greater amount of water vapor at a very low relative humidity than
other materials. It is most effective where a low critical relative
humidity is necessary, and were there is a high concentration of water
vapor present.
Calcium oxide removes water from a package very slowly, often taking days
to reach its maximum capacity. As calcium oxide adsorbs moisture, it
swells. Proper desiccant packaging is required for effective use. For
these reasons, its use has been limited to primarily the packaging of
dehydrated foods.
Calcium Sulfate
Calcium sulfate (better known commercially as DrieriteT) is created by
the controlled dehydration of gypsum. It is a general purpose desiccant
geared mainly toward laboratory use. It is chemically stable, nondisintegrating, nontoxic, non-corrosive and does not release its adsorbed
water easily when exposed to higher ambient temperatures.
The low cost of calcium sulfate
adsorptive capacity; it adsorbs
vapor. Calcium sulfate also has
limit its useful life. Although
package form.
Other Adsorbents

must be weighed against its equally low

only up to 10% of its weight in water
regeneration characteristics that tend to
available, it is not normally sold in

Other adsorbents are available for specialized functions. For example,

activated alumina is a porous desiccant which performs very similarly to
silica gel, providing somewhat lower moisture capacity at low
temperatures, but slightly improved capacity at higher temperatures. It
should be noted that some of these alternative desiccant products have a
specialized function.
Activated alumina is extremely effective for drying gases. Activated
carbon has been used extensively for many years as an adsorbent of odors
and toxic gases - it has long been used in military gas masks.
Others, ranging from metal salts to phosphorus compounds, have specific
strengths that would be impossible to address individually. Often it is
left up to the desiccant supplier to answer specific questions.