(June 4, 2026) Recently, with the implementation of domestic dual carbon policies, the resonance of new EU green trade regulations, and the demand from the new energy industry chain, China's silica industry has undergone structural transformation. General product markets have remained stable, and high-end functional silica has both produced and sold well. Relying on the concentrated production capacity of biomass silica from agricultural and forestry waste such as rice husk ash, domestic gas-phase silica continues to break overseas monopolies, becoming a hot track in the chemical new materials sector.
From the spot market perspective, domestic silica prices in early June maintained a narrow fluctuating range. Monitoring data from Business Society shows that the benchmark market price for rubber-grade white carbon black using the mainstream precipitation method is 6,000 yuan/ton, while tax-inclusive ex-factory prices in major producing areas such as Shandong and Jiangsu are concentrated at 5,700~5,800 yuan/ton, and ordinary industrial-grade silica transactions range at 5,000~5,600 yuan/ton; The ultra-fine high-dispersion model is supported by orders for new energy tires and high-end silicone, with ex-factory prices stable at 6100~6500 yuan/ton, and its price resistance is significantly better than that of low-end general materials. Due to stable upstream water glass and sulfuric acid raw material costs, and downstream on-demand procurement, spot prices of white carbon black are unlikely to see significant price fluctuations in the short term, with the market mainly focusing on stable price sales.
Demand shows clear differentiation: demand increments for traditional footwear materials and ordinary rubber products are limited, while homogeneous competition in low-end precipitated silica is intensifying; Four major sectors—new energy vehicle supporting tires, lithium battery separators, photovoltaic sealing silicone, and pharmaceutical carriers—continue to drive demand for high-end silica. Industry data shows that by 2026, the amount of white carbon added in domestic new energy tire formulas will increase to 15~20 parts, nearly 40% higher than traditional fuel tires, and consumption of high-dispersion white carbon black for green tires will increase by more than 22% year-on-year; Domestic orders for hydrophobic vaporized silica for energy storage and 3C electronics rose 17% month-on-month compared to May, with local products gradually replacing imported raw materials. On the foreign trade front, overseas orders for silica surged in early June, with Southeast Asian and European buyers focusing on purchasing green, low-carbon certified silica. Leading domestic companies' exports increased by more than 20% month-on-month, with green products becoming the core growth point for exports.
On the industrial technology front, green resource utilization and biomass routes have become mainstream for expansion. The biomass silica industrialization project relying on rice husk ash by-product to extract silicon is accelerating, with multiple domestic biomass production capacities totaling over 100,000 tons entering production within the year. Compared to traditional processes, biomass white carbon dioxide reduces carbon emissions over the entire lifecycle by more than 65%, complies with the EU ESPR eco-design regulations, and product premiums can reach 10%~18%. Meanwhile, domestic fumed silica processes continue to make breakthroughs, with local companies targeting hydrophilic and hydrophobic fumed silica products matching top international brands. The domestic localization rate of high-end fumed silica has surpassed 55%, gradually reversing the long-standing dependence on imports.
Industry analysts point out that under strict environmental control of outdated high-energy-consuming production lines and the gradual elimination of low-end capacity, the silica industry's capacity structure continues to optimize. The total domestic output for 2026 is expected to reach 1.415 million tons, with high value-added specialty white carbon black growing by over 23%, far exceeding the growth rate of ordinary products. In the future, the industry's growth focus will shift from expanding low-end capacity to greening, functionalization, and refinement, with leading companies with circular production qualifications and advanced formula R&D capabilities seeing their market share continue to rise.
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