Desiccant

The Conservation Committee of SPNHC (Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections) was recently approached by the sales
manager for H2O Control Products, Inc., a new Canadian company whose
(under construction) website is <URL:http://www.h2ocontrol.com>. The
company has mainly marketed to the industrial sector regarding
products that stop water from entering electrical and communication
systems, stop rust and corrosion, etc.  He writes that his product
line is "far superior" to silica gel and would be a "good fit" for
museum applications.

The product literature states that it can "remove liquid water as
well as water vapor.... [and] contain a new technology that will
remove 1000 times more water than silica gel packets of the same
size...".  The active ingredient (no MSDS available yet) is
contained in a two cloth sheets (resembling starched handkerchiefs)
stitched together, but can be supplied in 60 inch rolls.

I am a little skeptical of this silver bullet claim (i.e., what type
of silica gel are they comparing?, can it release water vapor to
modulate humidity also, or does it mainly absorb?), but am always
willing to consider new products and their possible applications.  I
am conducting some quick and dirty tests to try it out and find its
good and bad attributes.

Does anyone use this product, or have you tested it for RH
stabilizing applications?

Victoria Book
Conservator
Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
University of Oklahoma
2401 Chautauqua Avenue
Norman, Oklahoma 73072-7029
405-325-5163


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 20:45
                  Distributed: Friday, March 16, 2007
                       Message Id: cdl-20-45-024
                                  ***