China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation announced today that the "Radiation-Resistant Phenyl Silicone Rubber Sealing Material," jointly developed with universities, has passed aerospace-grade environmental simulation validation, successfully solving the sealing failure problem of deep space probes under strong radiation and ultra-low temperature conditions. By innovatively integrating the low-temperature resistance of phenyl silicone rubber with nano-composite radiation-resistant technology, the material maintains elasticity across a wide temperature range of -110°C to 280°C while withstanding γ-ray radiation of 10^6 Gray (Gy), providing critical material support for China's "Tianwen-3" Mars sample return mission and future deep space exploration projects. According to the project's chief scientist, deep space probes face dual challenges of extreme cold (below -100°C) and intense radiation when traversing the asteroid belt or orbiting gas giants. Traditional fluoroelastomer seals are prone to embrittlement and cracking at low temperatures, while ordinary silicone rubber struggles to withstand high-energy particle bombardment. The R&D team introduced fluorine-containing side groups into the phenyl silicone rubber backbone and adopted nano-silica reinforcement technology to construct a three-dimensional network structure combining "low-temperature flexibility" and "radiation shielding." Experimental data showed that after continuous operation for 12 months in a simulated Mars surface environment (-120°C, ultraviolet radiation intensity 100 times that of Earth), the material's compression set rate remained below 5%, far superior to the international standard for similar products (<15%). Currently, the material has passed full certification from the National Aerospace Materials Testing Center and been included in the "Recommended Catalog of Key Materials for China's Deep Space Exploration." China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation stated that this technology will be promoted to major projects such as lunar research stations and asteroid defense systems, driving the upgrade of China's deep space exploration equipment toward longer service life and higher reliability.
Methyl phenyl vinyl silicone rubber IOTA 3120