(May 21, 2026) Recently, the domestic silica market has shown a pattern of "low-end pressure and high-end improvement". As of May 18, the data of the business agency shows that the benchmark price of silica is stable at 6066.67 yuan/ton, and the tax-inclusive quotation of rubber-grade precipitation silica in Shandong remains in the range of 5100-6000 yuan/ton.
1.The involution of the traditional market has intensified, and the low-end production capacity is facing clearance
In May, the growth rate of traditional downstream demand for silica slowed down. The terminal consumption of the tire industry is less than expected, the increase in orders in ordinary rubber, shoe materials and other fields is limited, and the homogenization of silica by general precipitation method is fiercely competitive, and the price is under obvious pressure.
At the policy level, the new regulations on the restructuring of the chemical industry in Jiangsu Province will be implemented on January 24, 2026, clearly restricting non-gas-phase and non-carbon dioxide acid process silica plants, eliminating ordinary silica plants below 15,000 tons/year, and accelerating the clearance of low-end production capacity. The industry expects that by the end of 2026, the domestic backward silica production capacity will be reduced by more than 100,000 tons, and the industry concentration will be further improved.
2.High-end demand has exploded, and new energy and emerging fields have become growth engines
In contrast to the downturn in the traditional market, high-end products such as high-dispersion silica and hydrophobic modified silica are in strong demand and have become the core growth pole of the industry.
New energy vehicle tires: As the largest demand side (accounting for about 68%), the production and sales of new energy vehicles have driven the rapid growth of demand for highly dispersed silica for green tires, with a growth rate of more than 15% in related market segments. This type of silica can reduce tire rolling resistance and help car companies meet the "dual carbon" emission standard.
Photovoltaic and silicone rubber: Driven by photovoltaic and building energy-saving policies, the demand for silica in the silicone rubber and sealant industry will increase by 12% year-on-year in 2025. The application of hydrophobic silica in photovoltaic backplanes and wind turbine blade coatings has accelerated, and the market size of hydrophobic silica for coatings will reach 1.23 billion yuan in 2024, with a localization rate of 46%.
3C electronics and medicine: The application of high-purity silica in electronic packaging, battery separators, pharmaceutical excipients and other fields is expanding, promoting the upgrading of products to high purity and low metal ions (≤5ppm).
3.Technological breakthroughs and green transformation go hand in hand, and the localization rate continues to increase
At the technical level, domestic high-dispersion silica has achieved performance benchmarking with international brands, and functional and customized product development has become the focus of competition. Some enterprises have made the contact angle of domestic hydrophobic silica reach more than 125° through hydrophobic modification technologies such as double silane synergy and plasma assistance, breaking the monopoly of overseas technology.
Green production has become an industry consensus. Relying on the advantages of green electricity, the southwest region promotes low-carbon demonstration projects such as calcium carbide slag replacing silicon sources and closed-loop treatment of wastewater. Leading enterprises have accelerated the elimination of backward equipment such as coal-fired hot blast stoves and switched to gas equipment to reduce carbon emissions.
4.The export market is picking up, and the industry prospects are promising
In terms of exports, infrastructure investment in countries along the "Belt and Road" has picked up, coupled with the stabilization of the RMB exchange rate, and the silica export market has recovered significantly, and the annual export volume is expected to exceed 400,000 tons in 2026.
Global specialty chemicals giant Evonik and other companies are optimizing their global production capacity layout, focusing on high value-added businesses and providing market space for domestic enterprises to go overseas.
Industry experts said that in 2026, the silica industry will continue to show a trend of "low-end contraction and high-end expansion". In the short term, market prices will remain stable and rise; In the long run, leading enterprises with technology, production capacity and environmental protection advantages will dominate the market, and the industry will accelerate its evolution in the direction of functionalization, high-end and low-carbon.
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