Silica wick is used in alot clearomizers....it can take a dry burn without burning up so quick or catching on fire like say cotton can...it works but cotton wicks far better...just takes more care and more frequent re wicks with cotton.
You would usually wrap the wire around the silica wick instead of feeding it through a coil like you would cotton after a build.
Some like to take a needle or pin and stick it through the center of the wick so its more stiff to wrap the coil tighter around it....pull the needle out when done ,of course.