Organic silicon materials are known as "industrial MSG", and their industrial chain covers five major links: silicon mining, metal silicon preparation, synthesis of organic silicon monomers, intermediate processing, and terminal applications. As the "star" of terminal products, the industrial value of ethyl silicone oil needs to be examined within the entire silicone ecosystem. This article will analyze how organic silicon materials can achieve a value transition from "stone" to "high-tech" from the perspective of the industrial chain.
1、 Upstream: The bottleneck link between silicon ore resources and metallic silicon preparation
Global silicon reserves are abundant (28% in China), but high-grade quartz sand (SiO ₂>99.5%) is concentrated in countries such as Brazil and Norway. The production of metallic silicon requires the reduction of silica and coke in an electric arc furnace at 1800-2200 ℃, with a power consumption of 12000-15000 kWh per ton of metallic silicon, accounting for over 40% of the cost. Although China is the world's largest producer of metallic silicon (with a production capacity of 3.2 million tons in 2022), high-end products (such as 5N grade high-purity silicon) still rely on imports, which restricts the performance improvement of downstream organic silicon materials.
2、 Midstream: Technical barriers to the synthesis of organic silicon monomers
Organosilicon monomers are mainly methyl chlorosilane (DMC), and their synthesis requires the use of copper catalyst to achieve hydrosilylation reaction. This process involves complex technologies such as gas-solid phase catalysis and chlorine element recycling, and only a few companies worldwide, such as Dow, Wacker, Shinetsu, and Hesheng Silicon, have mastered the core processes. For example, Hesheng Silicon Industry has increased the DMC yield from 85% to 92% through its independently developed "fluidized bed reactor", with a single line production capacity exceeding 200000 tons per year and a cost 15% lower than the industry average.
3、 Downstream: Scenario based innovation of terminal products such as ethyl silicone oil
Organic silicon intermediates (such as D4, DMC) need to be converted into end products through processes such as polymerization and modification. The production of ethyl silicone oil usually adopts ring opening polymerization process, using octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) as raw material, ring opening polymerization under alkaline catalyst, and then obtaining products with different viscosities through distillation purification. In recent years, the subdivision of terminal application scenarios has driven the development of ethyl silicone oil towards functionalization and customization:
Electronic grade ethyl silicone oil: By controlling the metal ion content (<10ppb), it meets the stringent purity requirements for semiconductor packaging;
Food grade ethyl silicone oil: FDA certified, used as a baking mold release agent, can directly contact food;
Fluorescent ethyl silicone oil: doped with rare earth fluorescent agent, can be used for anti-counterfeiting coatings or optical sensors.
4、 Industry Trend: Circular Economy and Cross border Integration
Closed loop recycling system: The recovery rate of organic silicon materials is less than 30%, and waste silicone can be regenerated into D4 monomer through cracking. Germany's Wacker has built the world's first silicone recycling production line, processing 20000 tons of waste rubber annually and reducing carbon emissions by 60%.
Cross border material composite: ethyl silicone oil and nano silica composite can be used to prepare high-strength gel for flexible display screen packaging; Blending with polyurethane can develop self-healing coatings, extending the lifespan of building exterior walls.
According to the China Fluorosilicone Organic Materials Industry Association, the market size of organic silicon in China will reach 67.5 billion yuan in 2022, of which ethyl silicone oil accounts for about 12%. With the rise of strategic emerging industries such as new energy vehicles and photovoltaics, the demand for organic silicon materials will continue to expand, and collaborative innovation in the industrial chain will become the key to breaking through.
