Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Tokyo; President: Yasuhiko Saitoh; hereinafter, “Shin-Etsu Chemical”) has developed a thermoplastic silicone that achieves recyclability, previously difficult to realize with conventional silicone rubber, as part of its silicon chemistry-driven solutions (Shin-Etsu Silicones Solution-Engineering™).

Plastic and rubber products are classified into two types: thermoplastics and thermosetting plastics. Thermoplastics soften and flow when heated and solidify when cooled, making them suitable for recycling. On the other hand, thermosetting plastics harden (crosslink) when heated, which makes recycling difficult. Silicone rubber is generally classified as thermosetting.

By leveraging polymer modification technology cultivated over many years, the newly developed thermoplastic silicone achieves the following characteristics, which conventional silicone rubber lacks:

1. Recyclable due to its thermoplastic nature.
2. High hardness (Shore A*1 80 or higher) combined with high elongation (elongation at break: 800% or higher), unlike conventional silicone rubber.
3. Excellent transparency and ease of coloring due to the absence of inorganic powders (such as silica).
4. Excellent processability, allowing injection molding similar to plastics.
5. Solvent-based formulation capability for coating applications.
6. Pleasant texture, retaining the distinctive soft feel of silicone. *2

Shin-Etsu Chemical’s thermoplastic silicone can provide products tailored to diverse customer needs, ranging from rubber-like elastic materials to plastic-like rigid materials. Due to its characteristics, new applications that would not be possible with conventional silicone rubber are expected, including rubber components for areas that come into contact with skin in mobile devices and sports equipment as well as surface coatings for devices used in medical and nursing care.

The product will be showcased as a reference display at our booth during the 14th PLASTIC JAPAN, held at Makuhari Messe (Chiba City) from November 12 to 14, 2025.

By developing and supplying high-value-added silicone products based on its accumulated technological capabilities and know-how, Shin-Etsu Chemical helps customers solve their problems and contributes to the realization of a sustainable society.

*1 One of the test methods used to measure the hardness of materials.
*2 The texture differs depending on the composition.

■ Reference material

Pellet form before molding

Colored molded samples