Why silica gel turns pink

Alternatively, Orange Indicating Silica Gel, which is used in a variety of the same industries and applications, such as transformer breathers and compressed air dryers, conforms to the European Union requirements for moisture indicating desiccants. This silica gel is a 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 dry and turns from blue to pink as it becomes saturated. Blue Silica Gel can be used in many of the same applications as Orange Silica Gel; however, due to the addition of the moisture indicator cobalt chloride , Blue Silica Gel should not be used in direct contact with products intended for consumption, such as food or pharmaceuticals.

Blue Indicating Silica Gel tends to be less expensive than Orange Indicating Silica Gel while still maintaining the same performance standards. Mass of aluminum foil Mass of silica gel before heating 1 - Mass of silica gel after heating 2 - Mass of water driven off 4 - What kind of damage can occur if silica gel packets are not included in the shipping of electronic goods, foods and medicine?

How long has Silica Gel been developed as a dessicant? What is in the Silica Gel that causes it to change colour? Science Activity 8 - Silica Gel. All experiments must be done in the presence of a parent or teacher. Ready to use silica gel. Silica gel turns pink once it has soaked up moisture.

Suitable containers. Key Words. WWW Links. Ideas to be Developed. Adsorption - The capability of substances to attract to their surfaces molecules of gases, water or solutions with which they are in contact.

Dessicant - Something that absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. Silica Gel - A material that is capable to adsorb moisture. Materials Required. Ask your parents to help you look for silica gel packets that you may have around your home Hint: good places to look for are shoe boxes, boxes that store computer, camera, binocular. Purification starts by heating the sand with a reducing agent, carbon, to produce carbon monoxide and silicon. Additional processing is completed until ultrapure electronic grade silicon EG-Si is obtained.

August 18, To our valued Southern California Customers: The ready mix industry in California is currently being hit with a cement shortage that will affect our ability to supply projects. This is primarily being caused by the heat wave hitting the Western United States. This could really mess up your equipment. This regenerative property of Silica Gel is very useful to us.

Indicating Silica Gel changes color when it is saturated with moisture. Orange Silica Gel turns dark green or black when drying out is required, and Blue Silica Gel turns pink when it needs to be regenerated. This is why I prefer to use Indicating Silica Gel. These color-indicating Silica Gel crystals are either blue or orange when fully active, and change color when they are saturated with moisture.

The orange type is preferred, as the chemical used to show moisture content may be less toxic. I highly recommend using one. Once it is restored, it will return to its original color; either orange or blue depending on its type. Silica Gel gets saturated with moisture rather quickly when there is a high level of humidity in the air. Fully Saturated Silica Gel crystals can begin to give off humidity to the surrounding air when the humidity falls.

The good news is that you can reuse these Silica Gel Crystals up to times , and the procedure is quite simple. Some people say that you can use a microwave oven to recharge Silica Gel, however, we recommend against it because there is no way to control the temperature of the crystals, and you risk making them inactive. Silica Gel lasts through many hundred reuses and has been shown to be effective even after recharging it up to times PDF.

Although its efficiency decreases after about uses, it is still quite efficient. Glad you asked! Silica Gel is useful around the house and office in more ways than to just keep your Camera Equipment safe. You can store recharged Silica Gel in an airtight container for later use.

An airtight bag or container is a must so that no humidity is allowed in contact with the beads. If it is left out in the open, it will immediately start absorbing moisture from the air around it and will not be usable. You should buy indicative or reactive Silica Gel. Silica Gel comes in a few different forms. More specifically, I prefer to buy indicative Silica Gel. This is also called reactive Silica Gel.

No, Silica Gel is not toxic. However, you should not try to ingest it or mix it with edible items.