چکیده
Abstract
Since its first production in the early forties of this century, fumed silica has found widespread use in industrial applications. Due to its pyrogenic manufacturing process by combustion of silicon tetrachloride in an oxygen‐hydrogen flame, fumed silica offers a variety of fascinating properties. It consists of finely dispersed amorphous silicon dioxide and its surface is covered by highly reactive silanol groups which are available for chemical reactions. Additionally, fumed silica shows a space‐filling particle structure related to a high surface area and lacking micropores. These characteristics enable fumed silica to act as a free flow additive in powder‐like solids, as a thickener in various liquids and as a powerful reinforcing filler in elastomers. The aim of this paper is to combine results from surface chemistry and particle characterization in order to understand the basic mechanisms of fumed silica applications. Recent investigations in the field of surface chara