How can silica be used as a matting agent for paints & coatings?

Silicas has a relatively high efficiency in terms of matting efficiency.

There are two groups which differ in terms of their production process: precipitated with relatively soft morphology and silica-gel, which have a harder morphology.

Moreover, the silica particles can be surface modified to form silica treated products.

Modified silica possesses a different physical and chemical properties and in this way solving certain matting adding challenges in some paints systems, for examples viscosity increase, sediments settlings, etc.