WHITE PAPER
inable
Bentonite
desiccant
desiccants – The natural, sustainable desiccant
g solution for moisture controlled packaging
packaged
Desiccants
and used
are to
hygroscopic
protect a (moisture-adsorbent) substances that are packaged and used to protect a
sture-related
degradation
and from mold, corrosion, and other forms of moisture-related degradation and
wide range
of products
elf life.
Two of Desiccants
the most widely
damage.
are critical to maintaining product quality and shelf life. Two of the most widely
ch are used
used and
to protect
products
well-known
desiccants are bentonite clay and silica gel, which are used to protect products
nd foods
to pharmaceuticals,
ranging
from textiles, leather goods, electronics, metal components, and foods to pharmaceuticals,
nutraceuticals, and medical devices.
e of packaged
products
face responsible
a
Packaging
engineers
for ensuring the quality and shelf life of packaged products face a
s right
for their
applications. This
range
of considerations
when it comes to sourcing the desiccant that is right for their applications. This
ies essential
to making
a well-
paper will
compare
bentonite clay and silica gel in a variety of categories essential to making a well-
duction,
Environmental
Impact, Material Composition, Performance, Production, Environmental Impact,
informed
sourcing decision:
and other factors.
Material Composition
sults Bentonite
from the weathering
and
clay is an abundant
and naturally-occurring mineral that results from the weathering and
pal ingredient is calcium sedimentation of volcanic ash deposits. Its principal ingredient is calcium
nert and non-corrosive substance.
montmorillonite, a highly adsorbent, chemically inert and non-corrosive substance.
d dried into the form of free-
When mined from the ground, then processed and dried into the form of free-
s water vapor readily within
its granules, bentonite clay attracts and binds water vapor readily within its
flowing
highly effective desiccant. complex and highly layered structure, making it a highly effective desiccant.
silicon Silica
dioxide
gel that
is a synthetic
is typically material, a highly porous form of amorphous silicon dioxide that is typically
t 2-3 mm in size. Silica gel produced
adsorbs in the form of transparent beads, about 2-3 mm in size. Silica gel adsorbs
ntersecting channels of various
water vapor in an internal network of random, intersecting channels of various
cale through a multi-step diameters. Silica gel is manufactured on a large scale through a multi-step
chemical process.
China, so silica gel desiccants
The current
are
primary global source for silica gel is China, so silica gel desiccants are
al package form.
generally shipped worldwide in bulk or individual package form.
136
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PECM Issue 31