Colloidal silica is a highly versatile material that can enhance the properties of many products from various industries, including building & construction and food & beverages. From enhancing oxygen barrier properties to improving ink absorption, colloidal silica plays different roles in manufacturing processes. Further, colloidal silica is widely used in the electronics industry as a polishing agent to produce a clean surface in semiconductor wafers. Colloidal silica forms strong hydrogen and ionic bonds with fibrous and granular material in binder applications. These bonds are chemically inert and thermally stable, making them especially useful for insulation boards, catalysts, specialty coatings, vacuum-formed refractories, and investment casting slurries. Colloidal silica adheres well to many surfaces via hydrogen and ionic bonding for surface modification applications. Once applied to a surface, silica particles increase friction coefficient, which can be useful for industrial and architectural coatings, polishing slurries, flooring, and paper and cardboard. For flocculant applications, colloidal silica is commercially available in many grades with cationic sol charge and anionic sol charge. Colloidal silica particles fall out of suspension by ironically bonding with particles of opposite charge. This property makes colloidal silica an excellent flocculant for insulation board, beverage fining (wine and beer), and paper drainage and retention. Colloidal silica constituting a grade with larger particle size is more effective as a surface modifier, while smaller particles perform better as binders. Other factors such as ionic character and pH of the end formulation help determine the characteristics of colloidal silica, which may be used in various end-use industries depending on the requirement. The versatility of colloidal silica has ensured the consistent demand for the chemical from various end-use industries that are anticipated to grow in the coming years. Therefore, the growth of end-use industries drives the market for colloidal silica.
With the new features and technologies, vendors can attract new customers and expand their footprints in emerging markets. This factor is likely to drive the Europe colloidal silica market. The Europe colloidal silica market is expected to grow at a good CAGR during the forecast period.
Europe Colloidal Silica Market Segmentation
The Europe colloidal silica market is segmented based on product type, application, and country. Based on product type, the market is segmented into alkaline, acidic, modified, and ordinary. The alkaline segment dominated the market in 2020, and the same segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. In terms of application, the market is segmented into pulp and paper, building and construction, paints and coatings, electronics and semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, investment casting, and others. The others segment dominated the market in 2020, and the pulp and paper segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. Based on country, the Europe colloidal silica market has been segmented into the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, and the Rest of Europe.
Cabot Corporation; Ecolab; Evonik Industries AG; Jinan Yinfeng Silicon Products Co., Ltd.; MERCK KGaA; Nissan Chemical Corporation; Nouryon; The Dow Chemical Company; and Zhejiang Yuda Chemical Co., Ltd. are among the leading companies in the Europe colloidal silica market.