What's the Difference Between Liquid and Solid Silicone Rubber?

Understanding their difference boils down to recognizing one as a "raw material form"and the other as a "processed form."

1. Core State and Processing Principle

• Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR):Supplied as a flowable, viscous liquid(typically two-part: A & B). It is mixed in precise ratios by dedicated dispensing or injection equipment, injected into a mold, and then heated to trigger a chemical reaction (curing), permanently transforming from a liquid to an elastic solid. This is a "from scratch" forming process.

• Solid Silicone Rubber (Often HTV):Supplied as pre-cured, solid rubber sheets or blocks. To process, it's placed in a mold and subjected to high heat and pressure again, causing it to soften, flow to fill the cavity, and set upon cooling. This is a "solid re-molding" process.

2. Different Equipment and Process Requirements

• Liquid Silicone (LSR):Requires precision metering/mixing equipment and temperature-controlled molds. The process is highly automatable, suitable for programmed control, enabling the production of very complex and precise parts.

• Solid Silicone (HTV):Primarily uses compression or transfer presses. The equipment is more traditional, requiring high clamping pressure, but the process variables are relatively fewer.

3. Different Strengths in Final Product Properties

• Liquid Silicone (LSR):Excels at producing parts with extremely complex geometries, ultra-thin walls, tight tolerances, and very high detail fidelity. Because it fills the mold as a liquid, it yields more homogeneous parts, ideal for high-volume, consistent production. Typical products:High-end medical catheters, slim phone cases, precision seals, detailed fondant molds, doll components.

• Solid Silicone (HTV):Better suited for relatively simple, thicker parts requiring very high elasticity and physical toughness. The raw material cost is often more advantageous. Typical products:Kitchen baking mats, heavy-duty gaskets, industrial pads, shock absorption blocks.

The Bottom Line:

The choice depends on your product design complexity, production volume, and key performance needs.

• For intricate, complex designs and high-volume automated production, choose Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR).

• For simpler, robust parts or applications demanding extreme tear strengthwith moderate volumes, Solid (HTV) Siliconecan be more economical.

When you choose LSR for your products, a high-performance dispensing machine is key to ensuring quality and efficiency.Our silicone dispensing machines are engineered specifically for LSR. They automate precise A/B ratio metering, high-speed homogeneous mixing, and bubble-free dispensing, effectively solving the core pain points of manual processes like ratio errors, entrapped air, and low throughput. They are the reliable partner for achieving stable and efficient production of liquid silicone components.