Question

Why is fused calcium chloride or concentrated sulphuric acid is used in a desiccator?

Answer 1

Desiccants:

• Desiccants are another name for drying agents.
• It may be found in various forms and is widely used in the food, pharmaceutical, packaging, electronics, and other production industries.
• A desiccant is a hygroscopic material that creates or maintains a dry environment around it.

Calcium chloride

• Calcium chloride $\left({\mathrm{CaCl}}_2\right)$, whether anhydrous or fused, is extremely hygroscopic.
• It absorbs moisture quickly and is naturally deliquescent.
• As a result, it's employed as a desiccator's drying agent.

Concentrated sulfuric acid

• Due to its hygroscopic nature, concentrated sulfuric acid $\left({\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\right)$ absorbs moisture from the air and dilutes it.
• It works as both a drying and a dehydration agent.
• Due to its great affinity for water, it removes chemically combined water from compounds.
• Sulfuric acid converts ethanol to ethene by removing the water.
• The reaction is as follows:

${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\stackrel{{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4}{\to }{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}$

• As a result, it's employed in a desiccator.