Peter Todd <pete <at> petertodd.ca> writes:

> I can't answere your other questions... but I have tried dumping silica
> gel into water before. Interestingly it actually crackles which I
> presume is caused by the expansion stresses caused by absorbing so much
> water. That does imply that it's volume is increasing, but by how much I
> don't know.

Thanks, I know that it crackles, and I assume that because of that something or
other changes in it so it is less reversible than before (loses capacity when
cycled like this or something like that). I also found a large desiccant bag
marked 'activated bentonite' in a packing carton once. I did not know that
bentonite could be used as a desiccant (only as absorbent). Imho really wet
bentonite behaves like wet clay ... or mud. In fact it *is* a kind of mud. I am
not sure what would happen if the Tyvek bag would tear with wet bentonite in it
next to a piece of equipment that is supposed to be kept dry. At least silica
gel does not become any less silica gel when wet. It's still a solid.

I was thinking about using silica gel to absorb something other than water (like
alcohol solution) to concentrate it. Would that work ?

thanks,
Peter P.


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