Desiccant

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Desiccants are useful for keeping small closed spaces dry, such as tool storage containers. Desiccants absorb water vapour, and then need drying out to work again, usually with heat. Some desiccants change colour when saturated.


DIY Desiccants

Silica Gel

  • Normally contains a wet/dry indicator
    • Old silica gel uses pink/blue indicator colours
    • New silica gel uses brown/yellow-brown indicator colours


Anhydrous Calcium Sulphate

  • Also known as Plaster of Paris, Gypsum & 'Drierite'


Magnesium Perchlorate


Hydrated lime

  • aka bagged lime


Calcium chloride


Magnesium sulphate


Bentonite

  • aka Montmorillonite clay


Molecular sieves


Caustic soda


More Desiccants

  • Sulphuric Acid
  • Activated alumina
  • Benzophenone
  • Calcium hydride
  • Copper(II) sulfate
  • Lithium hydride
  • Magnesium
  • NaK, a sodium-potassium alloy
  • Phosphorus pentoxide
  • Potassium
  • Potassium carbonate
  • Sodium
  • Sodium chlorate
  • Sodium hydroxide
  • Sodium sulfate
  • sodium-benzophenone


See Also

Desiccant FAQ & Desiccant requirement calculator