Silane is an inorganic compound with chemical formula, SiH4, making it a group 14 hydride. It is a colourless, flammable gas with a sharp, repulsive smell, somewhat similar to that of acetic acid. Silane is of practical interest as a precursor to elemental silicon.

Silane is the silicon analogue of methane. Because of the greater electronegativity of hydrogen in comparison to silicon, this Si–H bond polarity is the opposite of that in the C–H bonds of methane. One consequence of this reversed polarity is the greater tendency of silane to form complexes with transition metals.

Several industrial and medical applications exist for silane and functionalized silanes. For instance, silanes are used as coupling agents to adhere fibers such as glass fibers and carbon fibers to certain polymer matrices, stabilizing the composite material. In other words, silane coats the glass fibers to create better adhesion to the polymer matrix. They can also be used to couple a bio-inert layer on a titanium implant. Other applications include water repellents, masonry protection, control of graffiti, applying polycrystalline silicon layers on silicon wafers when manufacturing semiconductors, and sealants.

The future of the global silane market is attractive with opportunities in end use application segments, including paints and coatings, rubber and plastics, adhesives and sealants, fiber treatment, and others. Global Silane market was valued at 1879 Million US$ in 2018 and is projected to reach 2430 Million US$ by 2024, at a CAGR of 4.38% during the forecast period.

Key players in global Silane market include: Evonik Industries, Dow Corning Corporation, Momentive Performance Materials, Shin-Etsu Chemical, Wacker Chemie AG, Gelest, WD Silicone, Jingzhou Jianghan Fine Chemical, Nanjing Shuguang Chemical, China National Bluestar etc.