Micro silica powder in the photovoltaic sealant film sector is experiencing a new application trend—shifting from conventional filling to high-performance functionalization. By 2026, the growth rate of industry demand will be significantly higher than that in traditional filling applications, and the pace of product iteration for next-generation photovoltaic technologies—such as N-type cells and double-glass modules—is accelerating markedly.
New Trends in Demand and Market Structure
In 2025, the consumption of micro silica powder in the photovoltaic adhesive sector reached 83,000 metric tons, representing a year-over-year increase of 10.7%. It is projected to rise to 90,000 metric tons in 2026, maintaining a growth rate of 8.4%, making it one of the fastest-growing downstream applications for micro silica powder.
Long-term agreements between leading film manufacturers and micro silica powder suppliers now account for 73.6% of the market. Agreements for PV-grade micro silica powder between Huafei Electronics and leading film manufacturers such as Foster and Haiyou New Materials have secured a supply volume of 53,000 metric tons for 2025, significantly enhancing collaboration within the supply chain.
As the market share of EPE co-extruded films has risen to 40.7%, the demand for micro silica powder products compatible with EVA/POE blend systems is rapidly expanding, gradually replacing the standard fillers used in single-EVA films.
Directions for Core Technology Iteration
High-Purity Modification and Upgrading: The SiO₂ purity requirement for micro silica powder used in PV films has been raised to99.5% or higher, with the content of transition metal ions such as iron controlled to within 10 ppm to prevent potential-induced degradation (PID) in modules and meet the stringent impurity requirements of N-type cells.
Precise Control of Nanoscale Particle Size: The median particle size (D50) of mainstream micro-silica for laminates has narrowed from the traditional 5–20 μm to3–5 μm; some high-transmittance products range as fine as 0.5–1 μm, with an extremely narrow particle size distribution. This not only prevents excessive laminate viscosity from affecting coating but also reduces light scattering to enhance light transmittance.
Silane-Activated Surface Treatment: Micro silica powder modified with silane coupling agents exhibits significantly improved compatibility with EVA/POE resin matrices and markedly reduced agglomeration. This simultaneously enhances the film’s insulation properties, moisture resistance, and lamination degassing efficiency.
Suitable for New Applications in Next-Generation PV Modules
Specifically Designed for N-Type and Heterojunction Modules: To meet the higher requirements for weather resistance and insulation of encapsulation films in TOPCon and HJT cells, modified micro silica powder optimizes the film’s resistance to UV aging, extending the module’s outdoor service life by 2–3 years.
Compatible with Perovskite Stacked Modules: In new TPO films designed for perovskite modules, the addition of highly active micro silica powder adjusts the film’s coefficient of thermal expansion, reduces stress concentration in the stacked structure, and prevents microcracks in the solar cells.
Synergistic Application with High-Transmittance Light-Conversion Films: When micro-silica powder is blended with the functional components of light-conversion films, it helps improve the conversion efficiency of short-wavelength light, boosting the module’s photovoltaic conversion efficiency by 1–2 percentage points. This has become one of the standard auxiliary material solutions for HJT modules.
