- Silicon dioxide, also known as silica (from the Latin silex), is a chemical compound that is an oxide of silicon with the chemical formula SiO2.
- It has been known since ancient times.
- Silica is most commonly found in nature as “quartz”, as well as in various living organisms.
- Silica is one of the most complex and most abundant families of materials, existing both as several minerals and being produced synthetically.
