PROPASEC

Clay desiccant for effective and natural protection against moisture in packaging.

PROPASEC desiccant bags represent the most effective and economical solution for controlling humidity in packaging. Made with natural desiccant clay, these products offer complete protection against moisture damage during transport and storage of goods. Thanks to their high absorption capacity, PROPASEC desiccants significantly reduce the dew point inside packaging, preventing condensation formation and protecting product quality.

The PROPASEC range is available in different configurations to meet every need: standard desiccant bags, chains and panels, all made of resistant, safe non-woven fabric (TNT) suitable for food contact according to European regulations (10/2011). PROPASEC non-woven fabric (TNT) desiccant bags are produced with natural raw materials, making them safe for both users and the environment, and are available in the form of bags, chains, or panels. Furthermore, Propagroup carefully selects its clays and fabrics to ensure high product quality in terms of resistance and high absorption rates.

For specific applications, Propasec Food Contact versions are available for the food and pharmaceutical sectors, compliant with FDA and European regulations, and Propasec Antistatic for electronic components. Certified according to DIN, NFH, and MIL standards, PROPASEC products provide reliable and environmentally friendly protection, being made with natural raw materials and free from DMF (Dimethyl Fumarate). Propasec is also available in Green R version, produced using certified recycled PE non-woven fabric, and in Green BC version, produced using biodegradable and compostable non-woven fabric.

For material produced in accordance with DIN 55473:2001-02, the desiccant unit defines the quantity of drying material that absorbs a minimum amount of 6.0 g of water vapor, at an air temperature of 23±2 °C and a relative humidity of 40%.
 
PROPASEC is suitable for various uses: for electronic equipment, medical devices, optical instruments, and food products.

Problems solved by this product

How much time can desiccant bags last once inserted in the packaging product you need to protect? So, for how much time can they absorb humidity?

Desiccant bags duration depends a lot on environmental conditions that the package has to face. If the humidity is very high, the desiccant bag will absorb a lot and it won’t last as long as a packaging that has to suffer less humidity. For this reason is important to refer to our technical personnel who will advice on the most appropriate packaging, depending on the specific conditions during transportation. Contact us: export@propagroup.com 

PROPASEC desiccant bags comply with which norms?

PROPASEC desiccant bags are certified and comply with NFH 00320 / 00321 french norms and DIN 55473 german norms.  

Can desiccant bags be regenerated?

Propagroup strongly advises not to regenerate the desiccant bags of own production "Propasec, Propasil and Propasieve" because this procedure is not recommended by the main European and international standards.

We would like to underline that, the regeneration treatment would compromise the quality characteristics, which would no longer guarantee the effectiveness of absorption capacity.

Furthermore, also the technical characteristics of the desiccant bag, particularly its mechanical strength and tightness of the external wrapping, may be damaged by this procedure.

Which absorbers (of humidity, gas, smell) is it possible to have inside Propagroup desiccant bags?

Propagroup desiccant bags are mostly produced with argile, silicagel, molecular sieve, active carbon and, on demand, they can be packed with other absorbers.

What are desiccant salts used for in packaging?

Desiccant bags for packaging are the most practical and flexible solution to prevent moisture circulation in enclosed spaces. Propagroup has many years of experience in the production of desiccant bags, capable of absorbing and neutralizing moisture and condensation in packaging or inside a container. Our desiccants include a wide range of products that, in addition to guaranteeing a high degree of protection, also ensure total respect for the environment, combining excellent absorption capacity with very low costs.

Are Propagroup desiccants free from DMF-Dimethyl Fumarate?

Yes, all Propagroup desiccants (PROPASEC, PROPASIL, PROPADRY) are free from DMF-Dimethyl Fumarate. It is possible to ask a certification of absence of this substance contacting us. export@propagroup.com

Why choose multifunction recorders for integrated monitoring?

Multifunction recorders represent the evolution of integrated monitoring, combining the control of shocks, vibrations and environmental conditions in a single compact device. These advanced instruments simultaneously record accelerations, temperatures, humidity and other critical parameters, providing a complete view of the conditions experienced by goods during the entire logistics process. The ability to correlate mechanical events with environmental variations enables in-depth analysis to optimize packaging and handling procedures.

Which is the meaning of UD, the writing on desiccant bags?

The Desiccant Unit defines the product quantity that absorbs a minimum quantity of 6,0 g of vapour, at an air temperature of 23 ± 2 ºC and a 40% relative humidity. 

How much time can be stored desiccant bags?

Desiccant bags can be stored for a long time, the important thing is that the packaging with which are supplied is always intact. Propagroup put in every box a PROPASECARD humidity indicator so as to allow who open the packaging to immediately understand if desiccants have been submitted to humidity, or if they are still usable.  

What’s the fabric used to produce the desiccant bags?

Desiccant salt bags are made from a permeable non-woven fabric, which allows water vapour to be absorbed inside the bag itself. This non-woven fabric, in accordance with DIN 55473, can be divided into two classes depending on the amount of powder that can be released from the desiccant bag itself:

Class A: Slight dust leakage tolerated (must not release more than 10 mg of dust per desiccant unit);

Class B: Total dust retention (regardless of the desiccant units, the bag must not release more than 1 mg of dust).

Desiccant bags can also be manufactured with other fabrics approved for food contact, such as Tyvek.

Absorption

In the packaging field is the reduction of the dew point inside the packaging or container to eliminate humidity or guarantee preservation of qualities and properties of use of the product packed. Desiccant bag is an example of product absorbing humidity inside the packaging.

In physical chemistry absorption is the incorporation of a substance in one state into another of a different state (e.g. liquids being absorbed by a solid or gases being absorbed by a liquid).

Source: wikipedia | license

Adsorbption

In the field of packaging protection we can use adsorbtion to define:

- the diffusion of VCI molecules inside the packaging

- the humidity attraction process from the raw material, like for example unpacked argile or silicagel

Adsorption is the adhesion of atoms, ions, biomolecules or molecules of gas, liquid, or dissolved solids to a surface.

Source: wikipedia | license

Adsorption

In the protective packaging sector we can speak of adsorption to define:

- the phenomenon of diffusion of VCI molecules in the packaging

- the process of moisture attraction by raw materials, such as clay or unpackaged silica gel

In the physical chemistry field, adsorption is generally a particular type of absorption that occurs only at the surface.

Source: wikipedia | license

Bentonite

Bentonite is a clayey mineral made of montmorillonite, calcium or sodium. In the packaging field bentonite is used as desiccant in bags of non-woven tissue to eliminate humidity inside packagings.

Cobalt chloride

Propasecard humidity indicators are cobalt chloride free.

Cobalt chloride is an inorganic compound of cobalt and chlorine, with the formula CoCl2. It is usually supplied as the hexahydrate CoCl2·6H2O, which is one of the most commonly used cobalt compounds in the laboratory. The hexahydrate is deep purple in color, whereas the anhydrous form is sky blue. A blend would be mauve. Because of the ease of the hydration/dehydration reaction, and the resulting color change, cobalt chloride is used as an indicator for water in desiccants. Niche uses include its role in organic synthesis and electroplating objects with cobalt metal. It has been classified as a Substance of very high concern by the European Chemicals Agency.

Source: wikipedia | license

Condensation

Condensation is the change of the physical state of matter from gaseous phase into liquid phase, and is the reverse of evaporation. When the transition happens from the gaseous phase into the solid phase directly, the change is called deposition.

Source: wikipedia | license

Container

Propagroup product range for humidity protection also includes a specified desiccant to be used inside container, PROPADRY.

An intermodal container or freight container is a reusable transport and storage unit for moving products and raw materials between locations or countries; the terms container or box may be used on their own within the context of shipping.

Source: wikipedia | license

Desiccant

A desiccant is a hygroscopic substance that induces or sustains a state of dryness (desiccation) in its local vicinity in a moderately well-sealed container. Commonly encountered pre-packaged desiccants are solids, and work through absorption or adsorption of water, or a combination of the two. Desiccants for specialized purposes may be in forms other than solid, and may work through other principles, such as chemical bonding of water molecules. Pre-packaged desiccant is most commonly used to remove excessive humidity that would normally degrade or even destroy products sensitive to moisture. Drierite, Silica gel, calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, montmorillonite clay, and molecular sieves are commonly used as desiccants.

Source: wikipedia | license

Desiccant clay

Desiccant clay is the name commonly used to define calcium bentonite (montmorillonite), a naturally occurring material that is chemically inert, non-corrosive and composed mainly of calcium and magnesium aluminum silicates.

Desiccant clay

Desiccant clay is the common name to call calcium bentonite (montmorellonite), a material of natural origin and chemically inert, non-corrosive and mainly consisting of magnesium and calcium silicate aluminium.

Humidity

Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of air and water vapor, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture, called the Absolute humidity. In everyday usage, it commonly refers to relative humidity, expressed as a percent in weather forecasts and on household humidistats; it is so called because it measures the current absolute humidity relative to the maximum. Specific humidity is a ratio of the water vapor content of the mixture to the dry air content. The water vapor content of the mixture can be measured either as mass per volume or as a partial pressure, depending on the usage.

Molecular sieve

A molecular sieve is a material containing tiny pores of a precise and uniform size that is used as an adsorbent for gases and liquids. Molecules small enough to pass through the pores are adsorbed while larger molecules are not. It is different from a common filter in that it operates on a molecular level and traps the adsorbed substance. For instance, a water molecule may be small enough to pass through the pores while larger molecules are not, so water is forced into the pores which act as a trap for the penetrating water molecules, which are retained within the pores. Because of this, they often function as a desiccant. A molecular sieve can adsorb water up to 22% of its own weight.[1] The principle of adsorption to molecular sieve particles is somewhat similar to that of size exclusion chromatography, except that without a changing solution composition, the adsorbed product remains trapped because in the absence of other molecules able to penetrate the pore and fill the space, a vacuum would be created by desorption. Often they consist of aluminosilicate minerals, clays, porous glasses, microporous charcoals, zeolites, active carbons, or synthetic compounds that have open structures through which small molecules, such as nitrogen and water can diffuse. Molecular sieves are often utilized in the petroleum industry, especially for the purification of gas streams and in the chemistry laboratory for separating compounds and drying reaction starting materials. The mercury content of natural gas is extremely harmful to the aluminium piping and other parts of the liquefaction apparatus—silica gel is used in this case. Methods for regeneration of molecular sieves include pressure change (as in oxygen concentrators), heating and purging with a carrier gas (as when used in ethanol dehydration), or heating under high vacuum. Temperatures typically used to regenerate water-adsorbed molecular sieves range from 130 °C to 250 °C

Source: wikipedia | license

Silica gel

Silica gel is most commonly encountered in everyday life as beads packed in a vapor-permeable plastic. In this form, it is used as a desiccant to control local humidity in order to avoid spoilage or degradation of some goods. Because of poisonous dopants (see below) and their very high absorption of moisture, sílica gel packets usually bear warnings for the user not to eat the contents. If consumed, the pure silica gel is unlikely to cause acute or chronic illness, but would be problematic nonetheless. Food-grade desiccant should not include any poisons which would cause long-term harm to humans if consumed in the quantities normally included with the items of food.

Source: wikipedia | license

Silica-gel

In many items, moisture encourages the growth of mold and spoilage. Condensation may also damage other items like electronics and may speed the decomposition of chemicals, such as those in vitamin pills. Through the inclusion of silica gel packets, these items can be preserved longer.

Source: wikipedia | license