23 replies to this topic

[3rd party JKor]

CaCl2 is a bit of a special case because it's so hydrophyllic. It's been my experience that if you leave it unsealed and exposed to just regular humidity it will be a solution when you go back to it. I just keep it sealed and assume it's anhydrous.

Just as a technical nit pick, it's hygroscopic, not hydrophilic. Hydrophilic/hydrophobic has to do with the contact angle when the material is in contact with liquid water. Anything that dissolves in water can't really be hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Hygroscopic is what causes it to pull water from atmospheric moisture.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Just as a technical nit pick, it's hygroscopic, not hydrophilic. Hydrophilic/hydrophobic has to do with the contact angle when the material is in contact with liquid water. Anything that dissolves in water can't really be hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Hygroscopic is what causes it to pull water from atmospheric moisture.

nice pwnage

[3rd party JKor]

nice pwnage

I deal with the confusion between hydrophilic and hygroscopic on a regular basis at work, so it's a sore spot for me.

[chuck_d]

I deal with the confusion between hydrophilic and hygroscopic on a regular basis at work, so it's a sore spot for me.

Kind of like Daylight Saving Time used to be for me. I appreciated the technical correction though because when George wrote hydrophillic I remembered thinking I had read the hydro S word and just assumed they might be synonyms or very nearly. I seriously wish I had more formal chemistry under my belt.