PyroGenesis Improves Fumed Silica Quality, Purity, and Consistency Across Multiple Production Cycles

Published: 2025-07-08 08:05:59 ET PYR.TO

Published on 07/08/2025 at 08:05

PyroGenesis Inc. announced that further to its news release dated June 12, 2025, and further to a recent press release from PyroGenesis' client HPQ Silicon Inc. ("HPQ"), the latest upgrades to the fumed silica reactor ("FSR") project have resulted in increased material quality, purity, and improved product consistency across multiple production cycles. These results were verified by a leading global fumed silica manufacturer, who had previously requested, tested, and verified first stage material samples produced in the FSR pilot plant under the terms of a letter of intent. PyroGenesis has been engaged to develop and build the FSR pilot plant for HPQ Polvere Inc. ("Polvere"), a subsidiary of HPQ.

PyroGenesis has: (i) a 50% interest in Polvere, and (ii) an exclusive arrangement to be the sole supplier of equipment relating to any commercialization of this new process. As previously reported, a series of FSR modifications and associated test phases are being conducted to help ensure that the scale-up from lab scale to pilot scale results in the successful replication of product quality in larger batch sizes. The focus now is on process optimization and gradually refining the quality of the product.

The results announced come from the latest in a planned phase of optimization testing, during which the FSR was able to achieve several notable gains towards commercial targeting. These results include (i) a further reduction in impurities by up to 86%, (ii) a reduction in the presence of carbon by an additional 85%, (iii) operating a semi-continuous raw material feed, (iv) maintaining consistent product properties across multiple batch production cycles, and (v) increasing the surface area of the fumed silica by 57%. Increasing the surface area of the fume silica is significant, as a larger material surface area is required for fumed silica to be upgraded as viable for various applications, including for food and pharmaceutical use.

"Fumed silica exists across a range of product grades, with the grade primarily determined by the surface area and the amount of impurities. There are applications and markets for fumed silica at virtually all grades, "As an example, the smaller surface area grades can be used in more industrial applications such as rubber or paint, while the larger surface area grades can be used In food and pharmaceuticals. PyroGenesis' goal for the initial phase which created samples for testing by the end client, was first to create a material that could be identified as fumed silica, and which was acceptable to the client for further modification.

This was achieved. In these latest results and for future phase testing, the FSR system and its various inputs and settings are being adjusted to gradually increase the number of grades of fumed silica that the system can produce. This is a natural next step as focus perfect the grades towards specific markets.

The upgrades and modifications made to the FSR pilot plant since the previous round of tests have led to tremendous gains across a number of targeted data points. The company continue to optimize the system over future planned tests, as the target market specific segments for commercial applications.