Silicone Rubber Compounding – The Forming Foundation of Flexible Materials, A Core Process Determining Product Texture

2025-10-08
In the production of flexible products, silicone rubber compounding serves as the first critical step for all subsequent processes. Its quality directly determines the final product’s flexibility, wear resistance and high-temperature resistance. Standardized silicone compounding is indispensable for a wide range of end products, from daily items such as silicone gaskets and phone cases, to industrial-grade silicone seals and medical-grade silicone products. Many in the industry mistakenly regard it as “simple mixing”, yet the precision of parameter control directly impacts the smoothness of downstream production and the qualified rate of finished goods.
The core of silicone rubber compounding lies in scientific proportioning and precise plasticization: raw silicone rubber is uniformly blended, sheared and plasticized with additives such as vulcanizing agents and reinforcing agents through professional rubber mixing equipment, resulting in a consistently performant compounded rubber. Raw silicone rubber itself has insufficient strength and limited functionality. Only with properly proportioned additives can it be endowed with properties suitable for different applications: food-grade products prioritize non-toxicity and environmental safety, industrial-grade products focus on high-temperature and oil resistance, while medical-grade products require strict control over hazardous substance emissions.
The complete silicone rubber compounding process consists of three stages: material preparation, compounding, and discharge & cooling, each governed by clear specifications. During material preparation, raw silicone rubber is softened at 20–30°C, and additives are accurately weighed with an error margin controlled within ±0.5%. In the compounding stage, temperature is maintained at 80–100°C for 15–25 minutes to ensure no agglomeration or delamination of materials. After discharge, the compound is naturally cooled to room temperature, making it ready for subsequent processes including molding and dispensing, acting as a critical link between raw materials and finished products.
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