My understanding is that to produce dry water all you need is a fine enough super-hydrophobic substance. It doesn't have to be silica but we know how to produce

My understanding is that to produce dry water all you need is a fine enough super-hydrophobic substance. It doesn't have to be silica but we know how to produce hydrophobic silica nano-particles. The main property it has over traditional water is an increased water-gas interface which means it can absorb more gases and absorb them at a faster rate.