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 63-200µm. 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.
Application Notes
MP Silitech is used as a suspending and thickening agent in pharmaceutical.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.
Usage Statement
Unless specified otherwise, MP Biomedical's products are for research or further manufacturing use only, not for direct human use. For more information, please contact our customer service department.
Key Applications
Chromatography | Chemical Synthesis