Silica gel powder usually refers to a powdered material made of silica gel. Silica gel itself is a material with a highly porous structure and is widely used in the fields of moisture absorption, drying, separation and catalysis. Silica gel powder is generally made by grinding silica gel particles into powder through a special processing technology. The following are the main components and production process of silica gel powder:
1. Composition of silica gel
The basic component of silica gel powder is silicon dioxide. Silicon dioxide is very common in nature and mainly comes from sand, rocks, ores, etc. The main component of silica gel powder is silicon dioxide with a porous structure obtained by chemical processing.
2. Production process of silica gel powder
Source of raw materials: The raw materials of silica gel powder are usually silica raw materials treated with silicate. These raw materials are treated at high temperature or synthesized by chemical methods.
Sol-gel method: A common process for preparing silica gel powder is the sol-gel method. A solution containing a silicon source is reacted with an acid to generate a silica sol, and then silica gel powder is obtained by drying and heat treatment.
Grinding process: The original silica gel material can be further ground into powder by physical methods, such as high-pressure airflow or mechanical grinding.
3. Characteristics of silica powder
High surface area: Silica powder has a very high specific surface area, which gives it good adsorption properties and dispersibility.
Good hygroscopicity: Due to its porous structure, silica powder has a strong ability to absorb water, so it is often used in products such as desiccants and air purifiers.
Chemical stability: Silica powder is very stable at room temperature and does not react easily with most chemicals, so it is widely used in chemical experiments, food industry, etc.
4. Uses of silica powder
Desiccant: Silica powder is widely used in desiccants, humidity control materials and other fields.
Catalyst carrier: Due to its high surface area and chemical stability, silica powder is often used as a catalyst carrier.
Additives for food, medicine and cosmetics: Silica powder can also be used in food additives, medicines and cosmetics as a flow improver.
Industrial application: Silica powder can be used as a filter material, paint filler, degreaser, activated carbon substitute, etc.
In summary, silica powder is a powder made of silicon dioxide through a specific process. It has hygroscopicity, chemical stability and a porous structure. It is widely used in many fields such as moisture absorption, drying, separation, catalysis, etc.
