China's marine scientific research has achieved a breakthrough in key materials. Shanghai Organic Silicon Material Research Institute, in collaboration with several research institutions, has successfully developed a new type of high-pressure-resistant organosilicon composite material, which has been applied to the seal system upgrade of the "Shenhai Warrior" manned submersible. The core of this upgrade is a modified solid phenyl silicone rubber. Based on the original formula, the material incorporates special nano-reinforcing phases, enabling it to maintain excellent elasticity and sealing performance even under ultra-high pressure of 110 MPa (equivalent to the pressure at 11,000 meters deep sea), solving the long-standing "pressure-induced brittleness" problem for deep-sea equipment. Meanwhile, to ensure the stable operation of the submersible's precision instruments, the research team also developed a new fluorosilicone oil-based thermally conductive potting compound. This compound not only has excellent thermal conductivity to effectively dissipate heat from electronic components, but its unique chemical inertness also resists erosion from the deep-sea's high-salt and high-humidity environment, providing "dual protection" for precision instruments. The project leader stated that with the continuous advancement of phenyl raw gum synthesis technology, the cost of domestically produced high-performance phenyl silicone rubber is gradually decreasing, which will strongly promote the independent development of China's cutting-edge fields such as deep-sea exploration and aerospace.
Phenyl silicone rubber IOTA BHTV 3830 series