# CMP slurries and pads

Abrasive slurries (ceria, silica, alumina) and polyurethane pads used to polish each chip layer flat; a $3.6 billion consumables market.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/

Specialty chemicals · Electronic chemicals · No. 73

- Product family
- Feedstock: Minerals and salts
- not published as tonnage
- 1.5 t CO₂e per t
- HS 340590
 Specialty chemicals · Electronic chemicals · Foundation · Matter

Every chip layer is polished flat with a nanoscale grit, and one company makes over half the world's polishing pads.

Chart: Illustration: CMP slurries and pads

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Ceria from rare-earth separation, or silica grown from sodium silicate, is made into particles under about 100 nm and dispersed in water with hydrogen peroxide.

##### Three things to know

1. Slurries made up $2.14 billion of the 2025 market and pads $1.46 billion, together up 6% on 2024.
2. Slurries for new contact metals like cobalt, molybdenum and ruthenium are forecast to grow 94% over five years.
3. Ceria slurry ties chipmaking to rare earths, and in 2024 TECHCET urged qualifying ceria, alumina and silica from outside China and Russia.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Abrasives**Ceria, colloidal silica or high-purity alumina
2. 2 **Slurry mixing**Dispersed in water with oxidisers, additives
3. 3 **Pads**Polyurethane cast with pores and grooves
4. 4 **Polishing**Rotating pad and slurry flatten each layer
5. 5 **Next layer**Flat wafer ready for more patterning

##### Go deeper pick a tab to open it in full

## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/cmp_slurries/links/index.md)