What is Dry Ice?

Dry ice is frozen, solid state carbon dioxide, which is found naturally in many places on earth (including in the air we breathe). When compacted and frozen, carbon dioxide stays in a solid state and at an extremely cold temperature (-109.3°F or -78.5°C). 

Dry ice is safe to handle using insulated gloves and is widely used for a variety of purposes, including the shipping of perishables, during manufacturing processes and for fogging in special effects. 

Find more safety information on our dry ice safety page.

When exposed to the air, dry ice sublimates from a solid state to a gas. This eliminates the messy liquid stage of regular, wet ice and makes dry ice ideal for use in shipping perishable items. The sublimation of dry ice can be accelerated to give a fogging effect when placed in a warm liquid. 

Dry ice is sold in block and pellet form.

Explore the rest of our site to learn more about buying dry ice and how to use dry ice for a variety of purposes.