Silicone elastomers market is expected to reach at $13.5 billion in 2027
Pune, India – Silicone elastomers market is expected to reach at USD 13.5 billion in 2027 at a CAGR of 7.4% during the forecast period according to Markets and Markets. Silicone elastomers are mainly used in the manufacturing of electrical insulation materials. They are also used in the aircraft industry for the development of insulating layers and high-temperature air ducts. Some silicone elastomers are also used in the manufacturing of sealants. Their physiological inertness makes them suitable for use in healthcare, especially for blood transfusions and in artificial heart valves & various prosthetic devices.
By type, medical grade LSR is expected to be the fastest growing segment for silicone elastomers market during the forecast period
Silicone rubber is a preferred material in the pharmaceutical industry due to its inherent properties such as non-reactiveness, stability, and resistance to extreme environments, compression set & bacterial growth, and extreme temperatures ranges.Silicone can operate in temperature ranges from -150ºF to 482ºF.
It is generally used for static sealing applications. LSR material is widely used by medical device manufacturers owing to its excellent properties such as biocompatibility, better part quality, and its potential of reducing the risk of contamination during the manufacturing process.
Liquid injection molding is expected to be the second-fastest growing process for silicone elastomers market during the forecast period, in terms of value
Liquid injection molding involves extruding un-vulcanized preform rubber through a cylinder into a closed heated mold.The process needs short molding cycles and does not need to preform preparation or trimming with the correct mold design.
It is ideal for products requiring close dimensional tolerances and uniformity and is used with HCR and FSR. All these factors drive the demand for liquid injection molding in various applications.
Healthcare is expected to be the fastest growing end-use industry for silicone elastomers market during the forecast period, in terms of value
Silicone elastomers are extensively used in the healthcare industry owing to their versatility, biocompatibility, low surface tension, high permeability, and pressure-sensitive properties. They are also used as seals, valves, catheters, microphone holders for hearing aids device, tube connectors, handles for surgical instruments, breathing tubes, syringe seals, cooling caps for chemotherapy, ventilation masks, and ventilation bags.
Asia Pacific was the largest market for silicone elastomers in 2021, in terms of volume.The high demand in the region is attributed to the increased demand from the automotive, consumer goods, packaging, medical, and electrical & electronics industries, as well as the improving economic condition of the region.
The industrial growth in Asia Pacific is driven by rising urbanization, which has resulted in an increased demand for injection molding process in various end-use industries.
The key players in this market are Dow Inc. (US), Wacker Chemie AG (Germany), Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (US), Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd (Japan), China National Bluestar (Group) Co., (China), Reiss Manufacturing Inc. (US), CHT Germany GmbH (Germany), among others.