Shin-Etsu Chemical develops industry’s first heat-shrinkable silicone busbar insulation

Akron, OH – Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. along with its U.S. subsidiary Shin-Etsu Silicones of America, Inc. (SESA), the company will be showcasing their industry first ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering at their booth (#412) during the IEEE APEC (Applied Power Electronics Conference) from March 16-20, 2025 (Georgia World Congress Center / Atlanta, GA).

Typically used for power connection or distribution subjected to high currents and high voltages, busbars are protected with tape, tubing, or other insulating parts. In today’s evolving electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) market sector, busbars must endure even higher voltages and currents−thus requiring insulating parts that provide more advanced properties including superior electrical insulation and heat resistance.

Shin-Etsu Chemical’s new ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing for busbar covering meets these requirements with exceptional performance features including:
High electrical insulating properties inherent in silicone (dielectric strength: 28 kV/mm).
Outstanding heat and cold resistance, allowing stable performance even in the harshest conditions
(operating temperature range: −40°C to +200°C).
Bright orange on the outer surface, making the product suitable for insulative covering of busbars−which can be used as an alternative to high-voltage cables.
Retention of flexibility typical of silicone rubber even after heat shrinking.
Availability of ST-TC-1 Type for thermal interface applications. Excels in both thermal conductivity (1.0 W/m·K) and electrical insulation−suitable for covering a heating part to transfer heat to the casing.

Notably, the ST-OR Type heat-shrinkable silicone rubber tubing easily shrinks when heated. This allows one to readily achieve silicone rubber covering with outstanding electrical insulation and heat resistance−simply by covering an object with the tubing and heating it. Using this tubing for insulative covering of busbars will contribute to higher reliability of power distribution systems, as well as savings in labor and time in busbar production processes.