Evonik is a leading supplier of hydrophobic silica, the key ingredient in creating “dry water.” With Evonik silicas, manufacturers can convert liquids to powders, which can easily be turned back into liquids when force is applied. The process is possible by mixing hydrophobic silica with a very polar liquid, such as water, that has been atomized. The resulting powder is 95 percent liquid and 5 percent silica.

Dry water has been used in everything from cosmetic foundation makeup, storing carbon dioxide, and transporting hazardous chemicals. Notably, the liquid used need not be only water, and can be loaded with dissolvable solids or similarly polar liquids. After encapsulation in silica, the resulting liquid-in-air emulsion can then be mixed with other powders and remain stable until the emulsion is broken. Applying pressure, sonication, or external force turns the powder into a liquid. Your challenge is to provide an innovative idea that will use silicas and this concept in a consumer or industrial application outside of cosmetics.