SiO2
silica · silicon dioxide
Silica is a ubiquitous, stable insulating compound that forms the basis of glass, ceramics, and modern semiconductor electronics.
About silica
Silica is a highly stable inorganic compound that serves as the backbone for much of modern materials science. Its electronic character as a wide-gap insulator makes it an indispensable dielectric material in semiconductor manufacturing and high-performance electronic components.
Beyond its electrical properties, this compound is remarkably versatile due to its structural diversity. It exists in numerous crystalline and amorphous forms, providing the foundation for everything from optical fibers and precision lenses to high-strength industrial glass and ceramic materials.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for silica, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Synthesis Routes
Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting SiO2.
Applications
Where silica is used.
Patent Landscape
120 patents reference SiO2 or close compositional variants.
| Patent | Title | Assignee | Granted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11185855 | Cu, Fe and Mn oxide intercalated SiO2 pillared magadiite and ilerite catalysts for nitrogen monoxide (NO) deco | — | — |
| 4240933 | Pd/SiO.sub.2 Hydrogenation catalyst suitable for H.sub.2 O.sub.2 manufacture | — | — |
| 8486360 | GeCl4 and/or SiCl4 recovery process from optical fibers or glassy residues and process for producing SiCl4 fro | — | — |
| 4227842 | Method of using Si.sub.3 N.sub.4.Y.sub.2 O.sub.3.SiO.sub.2 ceramic system for machining cast iron | — | — |
| 4775520 | Spherical SiO.sub.2 particles | — | — |
| 5840374 | Method of forming a SiO.sub.2 passivation film on a plastic substrate | — | — |
| 4910174 | Thin ceramic articles obtained by fusing and casting in a mold a composition of the system Al.sub.2 O-ZrO.sub. | — | — |
| 5262142 | Composite oxide of formula R.sub.2 O.Al.sub.2 O.sub.3.TiO.sub.2.SiO.sub.2.H.sub.2 O, where R is an alkali meta | — | — |
| 4902307 | Synthesis of SiO.sub.2 membrane on porous support and method of use of same | — | — |
| 4818510 | Modified close fraction batch process for purification of SiO.sub.2 | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about silica, answered from cross-validated data.
What is SiO2?
Silica is a ubiquitous, stable insulating compound that forms the basis of glass, ceramics, and modern semiconductor electronics.
What is SiO2 used for?
What is the band gap of SiO2?
Is SiO2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is SiO2 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of SiO2 are known?
How is SiO2 synthesized?
What elements does SiO2 contain?
Where does the data for SiO2 come from?
How It Compares
As one of the most structurally diverse and widely studied compounds in existence, silica stands as the primary reference point for insulating oxides, defining the standard for chemical stability and dielectric performance in its class.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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