Gaseous silica, also known as fumed silica, commonly known as fumed silica, is an amorphous nanoscale particle with surface hydroxyl groups and adsorbed water generated by the high-temperature hydrolysis of silicon halides (mainly methyltrichlorosilane, tetrachlorosilane, or trichlorosilane) in a hydrogen oxygen flame. Under normal conditions, it is a white flocculent powder and is a non-toxic, odorless, and pollution-free non-metallic oxide. This product has the characteristics of small particle size, large specific surface area, high chemical purity, and good dispersion performance.
According to the different surface properties, fumed silica can be divided into two series: Hydrophilic fumed silica and hydrophobic fumed silica. Vapor phase silica itself has hydrophilicity, and its surface can be modified with hydrophobic groups to obtain hydrophobic vapor phase silica products.
With the continuous improvement of process technology in the fumed silica industry in recent years and the continuous growth of downstream demand for deep processing of organic silicon, the global production of fumed silica continues to expand. According to data, the global production capacity of fumed silica in 2021 was 458900 tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.1%, with all new production capacity coming from China. Based on the announced plan and considering the possibility of new projects being put into operation and the elimination of some outdated production capacity, it is expected that global production capacity will still net increase by 89900 tons/year by 2026, reaching around 568800 tons/year. The annual average growth rate of global production capacity from 2022 to 2026 is expected to be 3.6%.
In terms of production, in recent years, the global production of fumed silica has been steadily increasing year by year. According to data, the global production of fumed silica in 2021 was 324000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 5.5%.
From the perspective of demand structure, organic silicon is the largest demand area in the global fumed silica industry, accounting for 57.4% of the demand in 2021. Next are the fields of ink coatings and composite materials, with demand accounting for 10.5% and 10.2% respectively. In addition, there is also considerable consumption in the fields of adhesives, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP), pharmaceuticals, food, agriculture, cosmetics, etc.
In recent years, with the intensive introduction of environmental protection policies in China, environmental protection efforts have further increased, and multiple policies related to the environment, rectification, improvement, relocation, etc. of chemical industrial parks have been successively introduced in multiple regions. With the improvement of environmental protection requirements, enterprises with smaller production scale, lower technological level, and environmental protection investment in China will gradually be phased out. Due to the complex production process and large equipment investment, some enterprises may gradually withdraw from the market in the future due to factors such as production capacity, environmental protection and other factors. The market pattern and industry concentration ratio will focus on enterprises with outstanding R&D capabilities and advanced technology, so that enterprises with core competitiveness can further improve their market share and competitiveness.
Organosilicon is an important branch of the strategic emerging industry of "new materials", and is listed in the key development fields of "Made in China 2025". Gaseous silica is mainly used as a reinforcing agent for silicone elastomers, and its current usage in the silicone rubber industry accounts for over 60% of its total consumption. The most important role of fumed silica in silicone rubber is reinforcement, and it can also improve the high-temperature and chemical resistance of silicone rubber, making it applicable in a wider range of fields. Due to the high price of fumed silica products, although there are cases in the market where precipitated silica is used as a substitute product, the reinforcing performance of fumed silica in silicone rubber still plays an indispensable role. With the rapid development of China's organic silicon monomer industry, the problem of the outlet of its by-product, methyltrichlorosilane, has become a bottleneck that hinders its development. Therefore, using methyltrichlorosilane as a raw material to prepare gas-phase silicon dioxide has gradually become a new production method, and the production cost of gas-phase silicon dioxide has significantly decreased, enhancing the competitive advantage of gas-phase silicon dioxide, Therefore, the sustained development of the organic silicon industry will promote the rapid and steady development of the fumed silica industry, both in terms of raw material supply and market demand.
