In September 2026, the demand structure of China’s powder new material market continues to shift. The focus of competition in the precipitated silica industry is shifting from simple capacity competition to customized powder solution services. With the rapid development of high-end downstream manufacturing industries, the market no longer only values basic filling performance. Requirements for personalized indicators such as powder surface modification, dispersion stability and impurity control are becoming increasingly stringent, pushing domestic precipitated silica manufacturers to continuously adjust product mix and focus on the R&D and mass production of special grades.

　　Looking at the domestic spot market, the supply and demand of general-grade precipitated silica remain loose. Sufficient production capacity is available for ordinary filler-grade products. Downstream manufacturers of rubber miscellaneous parts, conventional coatings and low-end silicone products maintain a mild purchasing rhythm, mostly adopting on-demand procurement and small-batch restocking strategies, and market prices fluctuate at low levels. Many small and medium-sized factories face serious product homogenization and can only compete for orders by slashing prices. Their thin profit margins cannot support continuous process upgrading, and the phase-out of backward production capacity in the industry keeps advancing.

　　In sharp contrast, the market for special functional precipitated silica continues to heat up. High-dispersion precipitated silica for green tires, hydrophobically modified precipitated silica for organosilicone sealants, and ultra-low impurity precipitated silica for photovoltaic and energy storage applications are fully booked. The market for new energy vehicle tires keeps expanding. Major tire manufacturers continuously optimize formulations and increase the proportion of precipitated silica to reduce rolling resistance and improve grip performance. In the organosilicone sector, high-end liquid silicone rubber and sealants impose strict requirements on powder dispersibility. Custom modified precipitated silica can effectively enhance the mechanical strength of materials and reduce bubbles and precipitation issues, making it the preferred raw material for many silicone material producers.

　　On the cost side, price fluctuations of upstream basic raw materials have slowed down. The price swings of sodium silicate, sulfuric acid, soda ash and other raw materials have a gradually weakening impact on product pricing. At present, product premium mainly comes from surface treatment technology, precise particle size control and batch stability. After special modification, the added value of basic precipitated silica of the same type can increase several times. More and more enterprises have realized that simply expanding production of basic powder has no long-term value. Only by delving into surface modification technology and carrying out targeted formula development for different customer scenarios can long-term technical barriers be built.

　　Green production and recycling have become mandatory thresholds for enterprises bidding for large overseas customers. When purchasing precipitated silica, purchasers in Europe and America require carbon footprint reports and production traceability documents in addition to conventional physical and chemical indicators. Many leading domestic enterprises have deployed solid waste recycling routes, using industrial by-products and biomass ash to produce precipitated silica to cut energy consumption and carbon emissions during production. Green production qualifications have become a stepping stone for domestic precipitated silica to enter high-end overseas supply chains. Enterprises without low-carbon production capacity will gradually lose high-end overseas orders.

　　The pattern of foreign trade market continues to restructure, and the mix of export products keeps optimizing. The export of basic general precipitated silica faces fierce competition. Newly built production capacity in Southeast Asia keeps coming online, diverting demand in the low-end overseas market and putting pressure on exports of domestic basic grades. With stable quality advantages, high-end modified precipitated silica has gained steadily rising recognition in Europe, America, Japan and South Korea, with export volume growing year by year. Overseas customers are willing to pay a premium for functional precipitated silica featuring stable performance, small batch fluctuation and customizable development. Domestic high-end precipitated silica is continuously replacing imported powder.

　　On the technology R&D front, the localization process of fumed silica and nano-modified precipitated silica keeps speeding up. Fields such as lithium battery diaphragm coating, thermal conductive composite materials, high-end cosmetics and pharmaceutical excipients once relied heavily on imported powder. Now domestic manufacturers keep overcoming difficulties in purification and surface modification, launching special grades adapted to various scenarios. Precipitated silica is no longer a single filling powder, but functions as a functional additive participating in the formula design of new materials. Enterprises have transformed from merely selling powder to providing material application solutions for downstream customers.

　　Emerging downstream application scenarios keep expanding, continuously lifting the industry growth ceiling. Apart from traditional markets including tires, coatings and organosilicone, demand for precipitated silica in cutting-edge fields such as hydrogen energy seals, high-frequency communication substrates, flexible sensing materials and elastomers for wearable devices grows rapidly. These high-end scenarios set extremely strict requirements for powder purity, aging resistance, low volatility and other indicators, forcing powder enterprises to continuously iterate modification technology and develop special grades. New application tracks will serve as the most important source of incremental growth for the precipitated silica industry in the coming years.

　　Market forecast for Q4: The structural market trend of the precipitated silica industry will continue. Prices of general products remain under pressure, while demand for functional special precipitated silica stays robust. As downstream tire and organosilicone enterprises launch year-end stock preparation, orders for high-end modified grades are expected to keep rising. In the medium and long run, market resources will keep concentrating on leading enterprises with R&D capacity, green production lines and customized service capabilities. The future development focus of the industry lies in three directions: powder functional modification, low-carbon circular production and supporting emerging applications. Enterprises that can continuously provide customized powder solutions for downstream customers will maintain a dominant position in industrial competition for a long time.