Industrial Silica Gel — White Translucent Desiccant Beads (Type A/B)
SEMITECH Industrial Silica Gel is a synthetic amorphous silicon dioxide desiccant in white translucent spherical bead form (2–5 mm diameter), produced by the acid gelation of sodium silicate followed by controlled drying and activation. With water adsorption capacity exceeding 25 Wt% at 40% RH (Type A) and 30 Wt% at 100% RH (Type B), it is the standard industrial desiccant for container cargo protection, pharmaceutical packaging, electronics humidity control, and compressed air dehumidification systems.
Silica gel adsorbs moisture reversibly and can be regenerated by heating to 120–150°C, making it suitable for reusable desiccant cartridge applications as well as single-use sachet formats. It is chemically inert, non-corrosive, non-toxic, and non-flammable.
Technical Specifications
| Properties and Test Methods | Unit | Typical Value | Standardization |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form | — | White translucent beads 2–5 mm | — |
| BET specific surface area | m²/g | 300–600 | — |
| Pore volume | mL/g | 0.6–0.8 | — |
| Bulk density | kg/m³ | 700–800 | — |
| Water adsorption at RH 40% (Type A) | Wt% | ≥20 | — |
| Water adsorption at RH 100% | Wt% | ≥30 | — |
| pH (10% suspension) | — | 5.0–7.5 | — |
| Thermal stability | °C | Up to 300 | — |
Application Suggestions
Container and Cargo Desiccant
Industrial silica gel is widely used in container desiccant pole/bag systems for ocean freight cargo protection, where high humidity during long sea voyages causes condensation damage ("container rain") on electronics, furniture, leather goods, and metal components. Silica gel's high capacity at 40–80% RH — the range encountered in container cargo holds — makes it the preferred active desiccant material in both PE-film sachets and woven fabric desiccant poles.
Pharmaceutical Blister Pack and Bottle Desiccant
In pharmaceutical packaging, silica gel is used in canister desiccants inserted in tablet/capsule bottles and blister pack cavities to maintain product stability. Its low pH (5.0–7.5), chemical inertness, and non-toxicity satisfy pharmaceutical excipient and packaging compatibility requirements. Custom sieve-fraction grades (e.g., 1–3 mm for small canisters) are available on request.
Electronics Packaging
Silica gel sachets in electronics packaging — PCBs, semiconductors, consumer electronics — maintain relative humidity below 40% to prevent oxidation, corrosion, and moisture-related failure modes. ESD-safe sachet formats and fine bead grades (0.5–1.5 mm) for compact packaging cavities are available.
Compressed Air Dehumidification
In industrial compressed air dryer systems (twin-tower adsorption dryers), silica gel is used as the primary desiccant in pressure-swing or thermal-swing regeneration cycles. The large bead format (2–5 mm) provides the bed permeability and mechanical strength needed to withstand repeated regeneration cycles in tower dryers.
Catalyst Support
High-purity silica gel beads serve as catalyst support material in petrochemical and fine-chemical processes where the controlled pore structure (0.6–0.8 mL/g pore volume, 300–600 m²/g BET) supports high catalyst dispersion. Contact info@semitechnm.com for catalyst-support grade specifications.
Technical Support & FAQ: Industrial Silica Gel
+Q1: What are the key performance characteristics?
The primary performance parameters are water adsorption capacity (≥20 Wt% at RH 40%; ≥30 Wt% at RH 100%) and BET surface area (300–600 m²/g). The combination of high pore volume (0.6–0.8 mL/g) and controlled bead size (2–5 mm) ensures fast adsorption kinetics and adequate bed permeability in flow-through applications such as compressed air dryers.
+Q2: How does Type A differ from Type B silica gel?
Type A (narrow-pore) silica gel has average pore diameter ~2.5 nm and is optimized for adsorption at low-to-medium RH (20–60%) — ideal for maintaining dry conditions in packaging. Type B (wide-pore) silica gel has larger average pore diameter (~7 nm) and higher capacity at high RH (80–100%), suitable for compressed air dryers and industrial dehumidification where inlet air may be highly saturated.
+Q3: What factors affect pricing?
Pricing varies with bead size (standard 2–5 mm vs. fine-mesh grades), purity grade (standard vs. pharmaceutical), and order volume. FCL pricing offers significant savings over LCL. Contact info@semitechnm.com for a FOB Shanghai quotation.
+Q4: What are lead times and payment terms?
Standard lead time is 7–14 days from order confirmation. Payment terms: T/T, L/C, D/P. Free samples of 200g–1kg are available for adsorption performance testing on request.
Packing & Storage Information
20′ FCL Container Approximately 14–16 MT in 25 kg woven polypropylene bags with inner PE liner, or 25 kg cartons. High bulk density (700–800 kg/m³) means weight typically limits FCL capacity before volume does.
40′ HQ Container Approximately 16–18 MT in standard 25 kg bags. Jumbo bag (500–1000 kg) format available for bulk industrial consumers.
Storage Conditions Store in a cool, dry, sealed warehouse. Silica gel is highly hygroscopic and will adsorb atmospheric moisture if left open, reducing effective capacity on use. Activated product should be stored in sealed bags or drums. Regeneration (reactivation) by heating to 120–150°C for 2–3 hours restores full adsorption capacity. Shelf life: unlimited if kept in original sealed packaging.