The history of AEROSIL®

The shortage of raw materials and resources on our planet has been a hotly debated topic for several decades. The ”black gold” in particular inspired many to become active researchers. The people at former Degussa, now Evonik Industries, were also enthusiastic about the idea of one day finding a substitute for oil. This is why, in 1941, they began to develop a white filling material for the tire industry as a substitute for industrial carbon black, which, up to then, could only be produced from oil. Just twelve months on, having created high-temperature flame hydrolysis, they succeeded in producing the first ultrafine-particle pyrogenic silica. Their vision became reality and the brand known as AEROSIL^® was born.

This success story took its course, and in 1966, an important foothold was established in Asia with the building of the Nippon Aerosil production plant in Yokkaichi, Japan. In 1976, the same step was taken westwards when the production of AEROSIL^® began at the new Degussa plant in Mobile (Alabama/USA).

More than 60 years of experience, development and research have by now made AEROSIL^® the most frequently used brand for the creation, modification and characterization of surface effects.

Milestones

• 1941: Development of high-temperature hydrolysis for the production of pyrogenic silica
• 1942: Development of the first industrial production process in Rheinfelden, awarding of the first patent
• 1943: AEROSIL^® is registered as a trademark for Degussa’s pyrogenic silica
• 1953: Production of aluminium oxides using the AEROSIL^® method
• 1954: Production of pyrogenic titanium oxides
• 1963: Commercial production of the first hydrophobic types, AEROSIL^® R 972 and AEROSIL^® R 974
• 1964: Marketing of the first AEROSIL^® dispersion
• 1966: Establishment of Nippon Aerosil, a 50/50 joint venture with today’s Mitsubishi Material Corp. in Tokyo (Japan)
• 1970: Start of production in Antwerp (Belgium)
• 1976: Start of the AEROSIL^® production in Mobile (AL, USA)
• 1986: Development of a further chemical aftertreatment technology; hydrophobizing method completed. AEROSIL^® R 805, R 812 and R 202 launched
• 1992: Launch of the first structure-modified hydrophobic product AEROSIL^® R 8200. First fully-integrated production location for AEROSIL^® in Waterford (NY, USA)
• 2002: Official opening of further integrated production plants in Leverkusen (Germany), and Roussillon (France)