In November 2025, news electrified China’s power industry: domestic liquid silicone rubber for 110kV high-voltage cable accessories passed national certification, with performance fully surpassing imported products! This breakthrough not only ended decades of reliance on imports for high-end cable materials, but also marked China’s entry into the global first echelon of advanced materials.

A Comeback from “Bottleneck” Technology

High-voltage cable accessories are the “critical lifeline” of power grid safety. For a long time, the core material—liquid silicone rubber—was monopolized by companies such as the U.S.-based Momentive and Germany’s Wacker. Imported products were not only expensive but also required a 6‑month delivery lead time, seriously threatening China’s energy security. “In the past, liquid silicone rubber accounted for more than 60% of the cost of 500kV cable accessories. Today, domestic materials have cut costs by 40% and shortened delivery to just one month,” explained an expert from China Southern Power Grid. The secret behind China’s breakthrough lies in molecular‑level customization. By fine‑tuning the polysiloxane chain structure, the material maintains elasticity even at 250°C. Meanwhile, an optimized crosslinking formula reduces curing time from hours to seconds. “It’s like installing an intelligent switch on molecules: fast curing when needed, fluidity when not,” vividly described the chief scientist of the project.

A “Chinese Solution” for Medical Care

The domestic upgrade of liquid silicone rubber is sweeping through the medical sector. In February 2026, DuPont launched its Liveo™ C6-8XX medical‑grade material, yet Chinese enterprises had already achieved independent innovation. A Shenzhen‑based company developed transparent silicone catheters modified with nanosilver wires, achieving 99.9% antibacterial efficacy while retaining excellent biocompatibility—at only one‑third the cost of imports. “Previously, silicone parts for high-end medical devices had to be imported. Now we can customize hardness, transparency and functionality according to client needs,” said the head of a medical technology company in Jiangsu, displaying a newly developed artificial joint coating. “This material releases lubricating components slowly inside the human body, extending joint service life from 10 years to 20 years.”

A “Lightweight Revolution” in Automotive Industry

In new energy vehicles, liquid silicone rubber has become a champion of weight reduction. In BYD’s latest models, battery pack seals use domestic low‑density silicone rubber, reducing component weight by 30% and boosting range by 5%. More importantly, the material withstands extreme temperatures from -40°C to 200°C, ensuring stable battery performance in frigid winters and scorching summers. “The deformability of liquid silicone rubber is 10 times that of traditional rubber,” noted an expert from the Institute of Materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences. “With 3D printing, we can directly produce complex automotive parts, eliminating mold development and cutting costs by 60%.”

China’s Voice in the Global Market

The rise of China’s liquid silicone rubber is reshaping the global industry. A 2026 market report shows domestic materials hold a 35% market share in electronic encapsulation and over 50% in construction sealing. “We used to trust only imported brands,” admitted a procurement director of a multinational enterprise. “Now Chinese materials match or even outperform imports in performance and stability.” From follower to competitor, and now to leader, China’s liquid silicone rubber industry has covered a 30‑year journey of developed nations in just one decade. With the rise of 5G, artificial intelligence, aerospace and other emerging sectors, this “transformable material” will continue to create miracles, showcasing to the world the strength of China’s Intelligent Manufacturing.

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