Fumed Silica Market- Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2018-2028 Segmented By Type (Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic), By Application (Coatings, Adhesives & Sealants, Pharmaceuticals, Others), By Region and Competition

Global Fumed Silica market is anticipated to grow significantly through 2028 due to its increased demand from the adhesives & sealant sector. In 2020, the adhesive and sealants market value in Europe reached USD 18.38 billion.

Global Fumed Silica market is expected to expand during the projected period due to increasing demand from the adhesives & sealant sector as it is used to improve performance and durability. Substances that absorb another material are called fumed silica. Through the adhesion process, fumed silica builds layers on the surface. They induce solids, liquids, and gases to lose some of their characteristics while keeping their chemical and physical characteristics, causing them to stick to their surfaces. Furthermore, the pharmaceutical industry's growing need for polymeric fumed silica to remove antibiotics, peptides, proteins, and other chemicals is another factor anticipated to drive the expansion of the worldwide fumed silica market.

In addition, fumed silica is used as a reinforcing filler in silicone elastomers to enhance their mechanical properties. Silicone elastomers are extensively used in the automotive, construction, and electronics industries due to their excellent mechanical properties such as strength, toughness, and durability. Along with this silicone elastomers are also used in a variety of products such as sportswear, footwear, voltage line insulators, medical devices, and implants. Therefore, the fumed silica market is expected to grow throughout the forecast period.

Increasing Demand from the Adhesives and Sealants Sector

To raise the component's viscosity, improve anti-settling capabilities during storage, manage extrusion properties during the application, and impart anti-sag properties during cure, fumed silica is utilized as a rheology control additive in the adhesive and sealant business. Compared to coated precipitated calcium carbonates (PCC), which are often used to regulate the rheology of Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) and polyurethane adhesives and sealants, treated fumed silica offers noticeably greater adhesive strength. Fumed silica has a lower specific gravity than calcium carbonate and contributes much less to adhesive weight, which might be advantageous in applications where adhesive weight is a problem, such as automobile lightweighting.

For instance, Henan Xunyu Chemical Co., Ltd. produced XYSIL fumed silica is widely used in all kinds of adhesive and sealants industries, such as silicone sealants, PVC-plastisol sealants, polyacrylate sealants, epoxy adhesives, polyurethane adhesive, unsaturated polyester, and polyurethane water-based adhesive.

Additionally, fumed silica aggregates are commonly used to improve the processing and performance characteristics of films formed from natural rubber, acrylates, polychloroprene, and many other water-based latex emulsions. These particles have a submicron size, and high-specific-surface-area which decreases drying times, mitigates crack formation by modulating the capillary pressure, and enhances the mechanical properties of the final product. Pre-dispersed fumed metal oxides provide an easy and effective tendency to pour which results in incorporating these particles into the adhesive films. Substantial enhancements have been observed in cohesive shear strength and thermo-mechanical properties of waterborne pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) due to the fusion of highly dispersed fumed silica. Adhesive films with fumed silica content ranging from 0 to 15 weight % were created from water-based acrylic emulsions used for pressure-sensitive adhesives applications.

For instance, Cabot Corporation produced CAB-O-SIL fumed silicas having high surface area, surface chemistry, aggregated structure, and purity used in water-borne pressure-sensitive adhesives to improve their cohesive shear strength and thermo-mechanical properties.

Therefore, increasing demand for fumed silica from adhesive & sealant industries led to the growth of Global Fumed Silica Market in the upcoming years.

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Increasing Demand in the Pharmaceutical Industry

In the pharmaceutical industry, manufacturing tablets and capsules is a significant challenge, but fumed silica helps to enhance features, making the procedure noticeably simpler. Fumed silica is employed in the production of tablets as anticaking agents, adsorbents, disintegrants, and glidants to facilitate powder flow during tablet processing. These substances seem safe to biological organisms. It is regarded as generally safe by the FDA. Moreover, fumed silica can also be used as a thickening agent. In topical creams and ointments, fumed silica can increase the viscosity of the formulation, giving it a thicker and more consistent texture. This property helps to ensure that the medication stays on the skin for longer periods, providing more effective treatment.

For instance, Evonik produced AEROSIL & AEROPERL Pharma series fumed silica according to IPEC GMP guidelines for bulk pharmaceutical excipients.

Additionally, fumed silica is used as a thixotropic and anti-settling agent in paints and coatings to improve their rheological properties and prevent settling. The growing demand for high-quality and durable paints and coatings in these industries is expected to boost the demand for fumed silica.

For instance, Astrra Chemicals produce EROSIL- NV/200 XL 5M fumed silica work as an excellent lightweight filler which enhances hardening of coating film, adhesion to surfaces, as well as reduces deterioration rate of the coatings and fading of materials with transparent top coating and diluent for all types of paints, dyes, inks, and pigments.

Thus, increasing demand for fumed silica from various end user industries dominate the growth of market in the projected period.

Hydrophilic Will Continue to Be a Key Type

Hydrophilic fumed silica is produced by hydrolyzing volatile chlorosilanes in an oxyhydrogen flame. In water, it may be completely absorbed and disseminated. This silica has exceptional insulating properties at high temperatures. Hydrophilic fumed silica might be advantageous for non-polar resin systems. It is used to thicken non-polar solvents like xylene, mineral spirits, and styrene and to reinforce silicone. It works well for compositions where shelf stability isn't a major issue. Hydrophilic fumed silica is quickly being employed in various applications due to its low cost. It has great insulating qualities and exceptional chemical purity, even at high temperatures.

For instance, Cabot Corporation produced CAB-O-SIL and CAB-O-SPERSE hydrophilic fumed silica products which provide superior performance benefits for many types of applications.

Therefore, increasing demand of hydrophilic fumed silica for various application anticipated the growth of Global Fumed Silica market in the projected years.

However, the production of fumed silica involves the use of chemicals and high-temperature processes that can have a significant environmental impact. Many government organizations around the world have implemented plenty of regulations and standards governing the use of fumed silica. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) restricted the use of fumed silica in the manufacturing process. Manufacturers may use fumed silica as a food additive, but only in small amounts that do not exceed 2% of the product's weight. Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforces a standard for fumed silica due to small particle size. The greatest amount of a substance that a worker can be exposed to over the course of an eight-hour shift is known as Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) as continuous and huge exposure causes danger to the health of workers. Thus, manufacturers have been forced to adopt new practices in order to maintain a safe working environment as a result of these regulations and requirements. Moreover, the price of fumed silica is highly dependent on raw material prices and production costs, which are subject to fluctuations. Volatility in the price of fumed silica makes it difficult for manufacturers to estimate their production costs and profit margins and can lead to market instability. In addition, the availability of alternative high-performance materials such as carbon black, silica gel, and metal oxide nanoparticles which offer similar properties and can be used as substitutes for fumed silica in some applications results in hampering the growth of the fumed silica market.

Recent Developments

• In October 2021, Evonik recognized its new fumed silica plant in China in a joint venture with Wynca. The manufactured fumed silica is operated under the brand name AEROSIL.
• Wacker Chemie AG extended its fumed silica production facility with the opening of a new facility in Charleston in October 2019. For its HDK brand, the factory has a capacity of 13,000 metric tons per year.
• In September 2019, Cabot Corporation revealed the official beginning of its latest fumed silica manufacturing facility in Wuhai, Inner Mongolia, China
• In August 2019, Evonik Industries AG announced the expansion of fumed silica capacities in its plant at Antwerp of Belgium for applications including coatings and paints, modern adhesive systems, transparent silicones, and non-flammable insulation material.

Market Segmentation

Global Fumed Silica Market is segmented based on type, application, and region. Based on the type, the market is categorized into hydrophilic and hydrophobic. Based on application, the market is segmented into Coatings, Adhesives & Sealants, Pharmaceuticals, and others. Based on region, the market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, Middle East & Africa, By Company.

Market Players

Evonik Corp, Wacker Chemie AG, Dongyue Group Ltd, OCI Compnay Ltd., Henan Xunyu Chemical Co., Ltd., Kemitura A/S, Cabot Sanmar Limited, Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group Co., Ltd, Tokuyama Corporation, China-Henan Huamei Chemical Co. Ltd. are some of the key players of the Global Fumed Silica Market.

Report Scope:

In this report, the global fumed silica market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends, which have also been detailed below:

• Fumed Silica Market, By Type:
• Hydrophilic
• Hydrophobic
• Fumed Silica Market, By Application:
• Coatings
• Adhesives & Sealants
• Pharmaceuticals
• Others
• Fumed Silica Market, By Region:
• North America
• United States
• Mexico
• Canada
• Europe
• France
• Germany
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Spain
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• India
• South Korea
• Japan
• Australia
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE
• Iraq

Competitive landscape

Company Profiles: Detailed analysis of the major companies in the global fumed silica market.

Available Customizations:

With the given market data, TechSci Research offers customizations according to a company’s specific needs. The following customization options are available for the report:

Company Information

• Detailed analysis and profiling of additional market players (up to five).

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