MP Silitech, the chemical compound silicon dioxide, also known as silica (from the Latin silex), is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula SiO2 with a mean pore size of 60Å and particles size of 32-63μm. It has been known for its hardness since ancient times. Silica is most commonly found in nature as sand or quartz, as well as in the cell walls of diatoms.
MP Silitech is used as a suspending and thickening agent in pharmaceuticals. It is used in Column Chromatography/Flash chromatography ( Darshan Makhey,2003). A silica-based aerogel was used in the Stardust spacecraft to collect extraterrestrial particles. Silica is also used in the extraction of DNA and RNA due to its ability to bind to the nucleic acids under the presence of chaotropes. As hydrophobic silica it is used as a defoamer component. In hydrated form, it is used in toothpaste as a hard abrasive to remove tooth plaque. SiO2 has a number of distinct crystalline forms (polymorphs) in addition to amorphous forms. In the majority of silicates, the Si atom shows tetrahedral coordination, with 4 oxygen atoms surrounding a central Si atom.
Key Applications: Chromatography, Chemical Synthesis
Product Type: Adsorbents
Biochemical Category: Silica
Chemical Class: Adsorbents
Density: ca. 2 g/cm3 at 20°C
Boiling Point: 2230°C
Melting Point: 1710°C
Vapor Pressure: 13.3 hPa at 1732°C
Mean Pore Size: 60Å
Particle Size: 32-63 μm
Solubility: Completely miscible in water.
Storage & Handling: Store at Room Temperature (15-30°C)