Fumed Silica Applications (Evonik AEROSIL® Model Recommendations)
Fuel-phase silica (Evonik's trade name AEROSIL®) is a nano-sized amorphous silica produced by the high-temperature hydrolysis of chlorosilanes in an oxyhydrogen flame. It possesses core characteristics such as high specific surface area, a three-dimensional network structure, and high surface activity, providing multifunctional effects including reinforcement, thickening, thixotropy, anti-settling, and matting. It is widely used in various industrial fields. As the inventor of fumed silica, Evonik offers a complete AEROSIL® product series, covering both hydrophilic and hydrophobic types to suit different systems and application needs. The following details application scenarios and Evonik's recommended models by industry.
I. Silicone Rubber Industry
Fuel-phase silica is a core reinforcing filler for silicone rubber. It significantly improves the tensile strength, tear strength, and abrasion resistance of silicone rubber by forming a three-dimensional network structure, while optimizing processing rheology and product dimensional stability.
Evonik's AEROSIL® products are used in RTV-1/RTV-2 room temperature vulcanizing silicone rubbers, providing excellent thixotropic properties to prevent sagging during construction, enhancing bond strength and storage stability, and are suitable for applications such as building sealing, electronic potting, and mold manufacturing. For high-temperature vulcanizing silicone rubber (HTV), they improve mechanical properties and aging resistance, suitable for seals, insulators, medical catheters, and automotive shock absorbers. For liquid silicone rubber (LSR), they improve injection molding processability, ensuring product precision and surface quality, and are suitable for high-precision applications such as baby products and kitchen utensils. Evonik's recommended AEROSIL® models: Hydrophilic: AEROSIL® 200 (general purpose, high reinforcing efficiency, suitable for various silicone rubber systems), AEROSIL® 300 (high specific surface area, suitable for formulations requiring high strength)
Hydrophobic: AEROSIL® R 974 (high hydrophobicity, easy to disperse, suitable for RTV-1 single-component systems, improving storage stability), AEROSIL® R 972 (Classic hydrophobic type, balanced reinforcement and processability, compatible with HTV/LSR)
II. Coatings and Inks Industry
Fumed silica in coatings and inks mainly plays roles in rheological control, anti-settling, thixotropic, matting, and reinforcing, improving product storage stability and application performance, while also enhancing the physicochemical properties of the coating.
Solvent-based coatings: Form hydrogen bond networks to prevent pigment sedimentation, improve leveling and anti-sagging properties, enhance coating hardness and scratch resistance, suitable for industrial anti-corrosion paints, wood coatings, automotive paints, and marine coatings. (products.evonik.com)
Powder coatings: Act as a flow aid and anti-caking agent, improving powder flowability and powder application rate, reducing spray gun clogging, and improving coating uniformity. (Evonik)
UV-cured coatings: Control system viscosity, prevent sagging during curing, ensure uniform coating thickness, suitable for fast-curing applications such as furniture and electronic equipment. (products.evonik.com)
Printing inks: Enhance ink adhesion and abrasion resistance, prevent pigment delamination, improve transfer properties, suitable for gravure, flexographic, and screen printing, especially suitable for high-gloss and matte ink adjustments.
Evonik AEROSIL® Recommended Models:
Hydrophilic: AEROSIL® 200 (General rheology control, suitable for water-based/solvent-based systems), AEROSIL® OX 50 (Low specific surface area, suitable for high-gloss coatings with lower matting requirements)
Hydrophobic: AEROSIL® R 202 (Highly hydrophobic, suitable for solvent-based anti-corrosion coatings, improving salt spray resistance), AEROSIL® R 812 S (Superhydrophobic, suitable for moisture-sensitive systems, such as marine heavy-duty anti-corrosion paints) products.evonik.com, AEROSIL® R 816 (Weakly hydrophobic, suitable for coating systems balancing rheology and gloss)
III. Adhesives and Sealants Industry
Fused silica can effectively improve the thixotropic properties, bond strength, and aging resistance of adhesives and sealants, expanding application scenarios and adapting to different polarity systems.
Epoxy Adhesives: Prevent filler settling, improve bond strength and resistance to damp heat, suitable for structural bonding, electronic packaging, and composite material molding. (products.evonik.com)
Polyurethane Sealants: Provide thixotropic properties, prevent dripping during application, enhance weather resistance and displacement resistance, suitable for building curtain walls, automotive seals, and insulated glass seals. (products.evonik.com)
Silicone Sealants: Reinforce and optimize extrusion performance, improve anti-sagging and elastic recovery, suitable for door and window seals, building expansion joints, and kitchen and bathroom waterproof seals. (Evonik)
Waterborne Adhesives: Act as thickeners and stabilizers, improve storage stability, enhance bond strength, suitable for woodworking adhesives, packaging adhesives, and non-woven fabric adhesives.
Evonik AEROSIL® Recommended Models:
Hydrophilic: AEROSIL® 200 V (compacted type, easy to disperse, suitable for high viscosity systems), AEROSIL® 380 (high structure, suitable for sealants with high thixotropic requirements)
Hydrophobic: AEROSIL® R 604 (Special hydrophobic modification, suitable for epoxy resin systems, improves bond strength), AEROSIL® R 202 (Suitable for polyurethane sealants, enhances weather resistance) products.evonik.com
IV. Plastics and Composites: Fumed silica can be used as a plastic additive to improve the mechanical properties, thermal stability, aging resistance, and dielectric properties of materials, while also improving processing flowability.
Thermoplastics: Enhance the rigidity and impact resistance of materials such as PP, PE, and PA, improve dimensional stability, and are suitable for automotive parts, electronic housings, and industrial components. (Evonik)
Thermosetting Resins: Provide thixotropic properties in epoxy resins and unsaturated polyesters, prevent resin runoff, and enhance interlaminar strength of composite materials. Suitable for wind turbine blades, aerospace components, and sporting equipment. (products.evonik.com)
Cable Insulation Materials: Improve dielectric properties and aging resistance, enhance resistance to tracking, and are suitable for high-voltage cables and communication cable sheaths. (Evonik)
3D Printing Materials: Improve powder flowability and molding accuracy, enhance the strength and surface quality of printed parts, and are suitable for SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) processes. (Evonik)
Evonik AEROSIL® Recommended Models:
Hydrophilic: AEROSIL® 200 (general purpose, balanced reinforcement and processability), AEROSIL® 300 (suitable for formulations requiring high rigidity)
Hydrophobic: AEROSIL® R 812 S (good polymer compatibility, suitable for thermoplastic modification), AEROSIL® R 972 (Suitable for thermosetting resins, improving thixotropy and water resistance)
V. Cosmetics and Personal Care Applications
Fused silica is mainly used in cosmetics as a thickener, thixotropic agent, matting agent, skin feel modifier, and anti-caking agent, improving product user experience and stability, and meeting cosmetic safety standards.
Skincare: Controls lotion viscosity, improves skin feel during application, provides a matte finish, enhances sunscreen dispersibility and water resistance; suitable for face creams, serums, and sunscreens (Evonik).
Makeup: Acts as an anti-caking and dispersant, improves powder flow and adhesion, enhances color payoff and staying power; suitable for loose powder, eyeshadow, foundation, and lipstick (Evonik).
Haircare: Enhances styling hold, improves hair volume and smoothness; suitable for hairspray, wax, and conditioner.
Evonik AEROSIL® Recommended Models:
Hydrophilic: AEROSIL® 200 (General Purpose, suitable for water-based systems), AEROSIL® OX 50 (Low Surface Area, suitable for transparent products)
Hydrophobic: AEROSIL® R 972 (Suitable for oil-based systems, such as sunscreens and lipsticks), AEROSIL® R 812 S (Superhydrophobic, suitable for matte makeup, improves staying power)
Special Model: AEROSIL® 200 Pharma (Meets pharmaceutical-grade standards, suitable for high-end cosmetics)
VI. Other Special Application Areas
Pharmaceutical Industry: As a drug carrier and disintegrant, it improves the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs, suitable for tablets, capsules, and powders; as a flow aid, it improves powder flowability and enhances pharmaceutical process efficiency.
Food Industry: As an anti-caking agent, it prevents powdered foods from clumping, meeting food safety standards, suitable for milk powder, coffee powder, seasonings, and protein powder.
Catalyst Field: As a catalyst carrier, it provides high specific surface area and stable structure, suitable for organic synthesis reactions and environmental catalysis (such as VOCs treatment).
Battery Materials: In lithium battery electrode materials, it improves conductivity and dispersibility, enhancing battery cycle life and rate performance, suitable for power lithium batteries and energy storage batteries.
Agricultural Field: As a rheology control agent for pesticide suspensions, it prevents active ingredient sedimentation, improves spray uniformity and adhesion, suitable for herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides. products.evonik.com Evonik AEROSIL® Recommended Models:
Pharmaceutical & Food Grade: AEROSIL® 200 Pharma, AEROSIL® 300 Pharma (Pharmacopoeia compliant)
Industrial Specialty Applications: AEROSIL® 380 (High structure, suitable for catalyst supports), AEROSIL® R 202 (Suitable for moisture-sensitive pesticide oil dispersions) products.evonik.com, AEROSIL® COK 84 (Silica-alumina composite oxide, suitable for aqueous pesticide suspensions) products.evonik.com
Core Application Value Summary
Reinforcement: Significantly improves material mechanical properties and extends service life through nanoscale particles and three-dimensional network structure.
Rheology Control: Provides excellent thixotropic properties, prevents sedimentation and sagging, and optimizes application and processing.
Stability Improvement: Enhances product weather resistance, aging resistance, water resistance, and storage stability, extending shelf life.
Multifunctional Adjustment: Combines multiple functions such as matting, thickening, anti-caking, and flow aid, simplifying formulation design and reducing costs.
Wide Compatibility: Evonik AEROSIL® The series covers products with different specific surface areas and surface modifications, suitable for various systems including water-based, solvent-based, and oil-based systems.
