Fumed silica is a white substance that is manufactured from flame pyrolysis of silicon tetrachloride or quartz sand vaporized in a 3000 °C electric arc. Also known as pyrogenic silica, fumed silica consists of microscopic droplets of amorphous silica fused into branched, chainlike, three-dimensional secondary particles. With extremely low bulk density and high surface area, the non-porous substance has fumed silica has a very strong thickening effect. Fumed silica is highly versatile and has a plethora of benefits including:
- Adsorbent
Fumed silica can absorb gaseous, liquid and solid materials due to its large surface area. The substance will preferably adsorb the materials that are capable of forming hydrogen bond links with the silanol groups on the surface of fumed silica or the materials that can interact with it on the acid-alkali basis.
- Suspension, Dispersion, and Grinding
Fumed Silica can prevent or delay the sedimentation of solids in liquid systems, such as pigmented coatings or resins. The substance doesn’t allow smaller particles to recombine as well. Adding of hydrophobic fumed silica during the dispersion stage can also improve pigmentation and performance in coatings.
- Defoamers
Defoamers and antifoams contain a suspension of precipitated silica in mineral oil, soyabean oil or in silicone oil. However, precipitated silica tends to settle, which can lead to other issues. Adding fumed silica can either completely prevent or significantly reduce this effect. Many defoamers use fumed silica as the active silica component instead of precipitated silica.
- Reinforcement of Elastomers
You can produce an improvement in the mechanical properties of elastomers, such as tensile strength, elongation at break and tear resistance by using fumed silica as a reinforcing filler. The substance can also help to control the influence of temperature on mechanical properties.
- Toner
Fumed silica can improve the flow characteristics and charge stability of toners. It can also improve the resolution and print quality of laser beam printers or plain paper copiers. The chemical can also improve the flowability of the dry toner and minimize the electrostatic charge variation of dry toner.
If you’re looking to buy high-quality commercial-grade fumed silica, Bee Chems is your place to go. In addition to fumed silica, the company also precipitated silica, lithium hydroxide, lithium chloride, lithium bromide, lithium bromide suppliers, Hydrogen peroxide and other products.
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