In recent years, the field of silicone elastomer micropowder has seen continuous new developments, driving the growth of related industries.
Elkem, a leading global silicone supplier based in Norway, announced that its chemical silicone waste upgrading and recycling project has expanded from the laboratory to a pilot plant at its production base in Saint-Fons, Lyon, France. The project includes an elastomer micronization process, which combines mechanical and chemical recycling techniques to micronize elastomers from silicone waste, enabling them to be incorporated into formulations as new raw materials. This opens up a new avenue for the recycling of raw materials for silicone elastomer micropowder.
Domestically, Chengdu Mai Rui New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. has achieved significant results. Inspired by the "lotus leaf effect," its founding team developed silicone microsphere powder. This silicone elastomer micropowder product can be added to wear-resistant and scratch-resistant agents to enhance their effectiveness. It contains no fluorine, offers superior wear and scratch resistance, and provides new material solutions for fields such as nylon and PU leather. Currently, relevant products have completed partial pilot verification, and the company aims to complete market promotion within 2-3 years, with the potential to break China's long-term reliance on imports for high-end materials.
In addition, the expansion project of Wacker Chemical's specialty silicone production base in Zhangjiagang has been officially completed. The new production lines will manufacture silicone oils, silicone emulsions, and silicone elastomer gels. This will further meet the growing demand in the Chinese market for high-quality specialty silicones. Among them, the production of silicone elastomer gel-related products will also provide broader space for the development of silicone elastomer micropowder, helping it find applications in more fields.