Sustainability

Road traffic accounts for a high percentage of global CO₂ emissions. Tires featuring a silica/silane filler system can, in the assessed reference scenario, reduce fuel consumption by 5% compared with conventional tires featuring carbon black as a filler over 150,000 km of driving. This corresponds to a calculated difference of 1,510 kg CO_2e under the specified conditions. The life cycle assessment underlying these figures is available here: Quantification of the handprint "tires featuring a silica/silane filler system", page 4.

In another application-specific example, replacing 10% of titanium dioxide with HYDREX® P in highly filled décor paper resulted in a calculated carbon-footprint reduction of 71 kg CO_2e per metric ton of paper compared with the defined reference formulation. This result is specific to the assessed paper grade, formulation and calculation method and may vary depending on the paper grade and required technical properties. Learn more: HYDREX® P as extension for titanium dioxide.

Selected products of our portfolio offer solutions designed to improve durability, thermal and mechanical stability, or surface protection in specific applications. For example, under specific laboratory test conditions, AEROXIDE® fumed metal oxides used as dry coating for lithium-ion battery cathode active materials can increase battery service life by approximately 50% compared with a standard reference battery. This result does not establish a 50% longer service life for every battery. Find out more about AEROXIDE® fumed metal oxides for Li-ion batteries.

In a separate example, an independent study indicates that, under the conditions examined, Protectosil® anti-corrosion agents can extend the service life of concrete structures by several decades compared with untreated concrete. The result is study- and condition-specific. Find out more about how Silanes preserve building materials.

Small quantities of selected silica products in personal care products can support health-relevant applications. In toothpaste, silica can serve as a functional abrasive that supports the removal of food particles and plaque during brushing. Find out more about silica for oral care. 

In sun care formulations, AEROSIL® fumed silica can improve formulation stability, viscosity and spreadability and may boost SPF performance. Depending on the formulation and test conditions, this may allow formulators to maintain or improve SPF performance with a lower UV-filter load. Find out more about AEROSIL® – Multifunctional sun care solutions: SPF-boosting

Production efficiency saves energy and resources, time and costs. In food-powder production, AEROSIL®, SIPERNAT® and ZEOFREE® specialty silicas can help reduce caking in spray dryers and prevent pipe clogging. In a customer case study on milk-powder processing, adding 0.2% silica reduced raw-material losses caused by caking by approximately 50% under the specified production conditions. This case-study result may not apply to other processes. The information supporting these figures for food production is available here.

In semiconductor and microchip production, silanes and ultra-high-purity colloidal silica play a role in various process steps. Used as an abrasive in chemical mechanical planarization, colloidal silica helps achieve the precise surface specifications required for the production of integrated circuits. Find out more about colloidal silica for semiconductor production.

Silica (silicon dioxide) is an established, approved, and safe to use ingredient in personal care formulations, listed in the EU Cosmetics Regulation (Regulation EC No. 1223/2009).  Scientific studies indicate that silica released into the environment can follow natural mineral pathways and may ultimately become part of sediments and rock formations. This describes the geological fate of silica and does not mean that the formulation has no environmental impact. Learn more about silica as an alternative to intentionally added microplastic peeling particles.

In selected agricultural applications, silica-based formulations may support more efficient use of fertilizer or plant-care products. For example, in a greenhouse trial under the reported conditions, biostimulants formulated with Evonik’s silica and used with 50% fertilizer produced 93% of the above-ground biomass achieved with 100% fertilizer. This result is specific to the reported crop, formulation and test conditions and is not a general recommendation for all crops or field conditions. Find out more about silica for more efficient agriculture.

Silicon dioxide has been used as a food additive for decades. In the European Union, synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) is authorised as food additive E 551 for specified uses. In its 2024 re-evaluation, EFSA concluded that E 551 does not raise a safety concern for any population group, including infants below 16 weeks, at the reported uses and use levels. The assessment included both conventional and nano-specific considerations. Find out more about silica as a food additive.