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The market trends of Fluorosilicone (FVMQ) rubber reveal a dynamic landscape shaped by various factors influencing its growth trajectory. FVMQ rubber, a specialized elastomer known for its exceptional resistance to extreme temperatures, chemicals, and oils, finds extensive applications in industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, and oil & gas. One prominent trend in the FVMQ rubber market is the increasing demand from the automotive sector. With the automotive industry undergoing a significant transformation towards electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles, there is a growing need for advanced materials that can withstand the unique operating conditions of these vehicles. FVMQ rubber's ability to maintain its properties over a wide temperature range, coupled with its resistance to automotive fluids and fuels, positions it as a preferred material for seals, gaskets, and hoses in EVs and hybrid vehicles.
Moreover, stringent regulatory standards regarding emissions and fuel efficiency are driving the adoption of FVMQ rubber in automotive applications. As automakers strive to meet these regulatory requirements, there is a growing emphasis on improving the performance and durability of vehicle components, including rubber seals and gaskets. FVMQ rubber's superior resistance to fuels, oils, and aggressive fluids make it an ideal choice for ensuring long-term reliability and performance in automotive systems. This trend is expected to propel the demand for FVMQ rubber in the automotive sector in the coming years.
Additionally, the aerospace industry represents a significant market opportunity for FVMQ rubber due to its demanding operating environments and performance requirements. Aircraft manufacturers and suppliers rely on FVMQ rubber for critical applications such as seals, gaskets, O-rings, and vibration dampers in aircraft engines, hydraulic systems, and fuel systems. The aerospace sector's stringent safety standards and performance specifications necessitate the use of materials with exceptional thermal and chemical resistance, making FVMQ rubber a preferred choice for aerospace applications.
Furthermore, the electronics industry is emerging as a key growth driver for the FVMQ rubber market. With the increasing miniaturization and complexity of electronic devices, there is a growing demand for sealing solutions that can withstand harsh environmental conditions, including exposure to chemicals, moisture, and high temperatures. FVMQ rubber's excellent resistance to a wide range of chemicals, coupled with its thermal stability and electrical insulation properties, make it well-suited for sealing and gasketing applications in electronic devices, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and industrial electronics.
However, the FVMQ rubber market faces challenges such as raw material availability and pricing volatility. FVMQ rubber is synthesized from fluorosilicone polymers, which are derived from fluorinated monomers and silicone precursors. The availability and cost of these raw materials are subject to factors such as supply-demand dynamics, geopolitical tensions, and regulatory changes. Fluctuations in raw material prices can impact the production costs of FVMQ rubber and influence pricing strategies in the market, posing challenges for manufacturers and end-users alike. Furthermore, the increasing commercial aircraft production and high defense spending are further expected to drive the growth of the market for fluorosilicone (FVMQ) rubber in the years to follow.
Fluorosilicone Rubber Market Highlights:
Fluorosilicone (FVMQ) Rubber Market Overview
According to MRFR analysis, the Fluorosilicone (FVMQ) Rubber Market was valued at over USD 120 Million in 2018 and is projected to register a CAGR of 5.51% during the forecast period.
Fluorosilicone Rubber (FVMQ) is a modified silicone rubber formulated from fluorosilicone polymers that contain a (-Si-O-) repeating group on the polymer backbone. FVMQ exhibits excellent heat resistance, electrical conductivity, low-temperature flexibility, and excellent resistance to weather, ozone, and UV. FVMQ exhibits a significantly better chemical resistance than the standard silicone rubber, especially in conditions where hydrocarbons, fuel, aromatic mineral oils, and low molecular aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene and toluene) are involved.
The prominent factors favoring the growth of the global market are increasing automobile production in developing economies and significant growth of the aerospace & defense industry. With the increasing automobile production and demand for lightweight and fuel-efficient automobiles, the demand for fluorosilicone rubbers is expected to increase in the coming years. In 2018, over 95 million units of automobiles were manufactured, which is expected to cross over 100 million units by the end of 2019.
Moreover, the increasing use of alternative fuels, synthetic oils, and aggressive fluids and the increased operating temperatures with less cooling airflow required in the automotive engines, pose unique challenges related to material performance and its use in sealing applications. FVMQ is expected to deliver these requirements, owing to its superior extreme-temperature (low/high) performance, prolonged resistance to fuels, oils, solvents, and aggressive fluids, and its wide range of engineering properties. This is likely to boost the demand for FVMQ in the manufacturing of sealing and tubing components in the coming years.
Furthermore, the increasing commercial aircraft production and high defense spending are further expected to drive the growth of the market for fluorosilicone (FVMQ) rubber in the years to follow.
In the market, fluoroslicone rubber is popular by the trade names: SILASTIC (Dow) and Elastosil (Wacker Chemie AG).
REGULATORY STANDARDS
Some of the regulatory standards for automotive light-weighting and fuel efficiency are:
- CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) regulations
North America and Europe possess strict automotive fuel efficiency and CO2 emission regulations, and non-compliance with the corporate average fuel efficiency (CAFE) regulations by the manufacturers can lead to penalties by the respective governments.
- Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) program
- New Energy Vehicle (NEV) program
OEM specifications for exhaust gas recirculation systems (where fluorosilicone rubbers are required):
- BMW GS97018:2008-11
- Fiat 902139
- Ford AZ 102-02
- GM GME 8688
- VW PV3936
Some of the regulatory standard (ASTM) requirements for FVMQ properties: 
Source: ASTM, Company Brochure, and MRFR Analysis
TRADE ANALYSIS
The overall silicone rubber exported in its primary form increased by around 18% from USD 5,351.6 Million in 2017 to USD 6,335.2 Million in 2018, whereas total silicone rubber imported increased by around 18% from USD 7,548 Million in 2017 to USD 8,938 Million in 2018.
MARKET DRIVERS
- Surging demand for lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicles
- Growing commercial aircraft production
- Increasing demand for fluorosilicone rubber in the oil & gas industry
MARKET RESTRAINTS
- Fluctuating raw materials prices
- Availability of efficient substitutes
SEGMENTATION
By Processing Technology
- Compression Molding: The compression molding segment held the largest share of above 35% of the market in 2018. The compression molding process is mainly used for low to medium volume applications and for some specialty high-volume components.
- Extrusion: Fluorosilicone rubber extruded products include gaskets, sealing components, and other intricate profiles.
- Liquid Injection Molding: This process is mainly used for liquid fluorosilicone rubber. The main products manufactured using LIM include gaskets, seals, and cushioning pads in electronic portable devices.
- Calendaring: Calendaring is the other commonly used process for manufacturing FVMQ products (sheets) such as industrial and automobile components.
- 3D Printing: The use of 3D printing process for fluorosilicone rubber is still in the nascent stage. However, it is expected to gain popularity in the near future.
By End-Use Industry
- Automotive: The automotive segment accounted for the largest share of more than 40% in 2018, owing to the surging demand for lightweight components in passenger cars and the increasing automobile production in emerging economies. Additionally, with the increasing use of various fluids in the automobile engines to enhance the performance, the demand for FVMQ is likely to increase during the forecast period.
- Aerospace & Defense: The aerospace & defense segment is the other major consumer of FVMQ products. FVMQ elastomers provide suitable and sustainable innovative solutions to the aerospace industry in terms of reliability and durability.
- Oil & Gas: Widely used in the manufacturing of O-rings, seals, and gaskets for use in the oil & gas industry.
- Electronics & Semiconductors: Mainly used to produce EMI shielding products
- Others: The others segment includes medical and food & beverage.
By Region
- North America
- Europe
- Asia-Pacific
- Latin America
- Middle East & Africa
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
- North America: The regional market held a significant share of the global market owing to the well-established automotive and aerospace & defense industries. Moreover, the oil & gas industry in the region is the other major consumer of the product. With the increasing oil drilling and completion projects in the US, the demand for fluorosilicone rubber is expected to increase, thus driving the regional market in the years to follow.
- Europe: The expanding automotive industry in Western Europe is estimated to be the primary factor driving the regional market during the forecast period. Additionally, the requirements pertaining to the material used in automobile components are expected to positively impact the demand for fluorosilicone rubber in the automotive and aerospace industries.
- Asia-Pacific: The market in Asia-Pacific for fluorosilicone (FVMQ) rubber accounted for the largest share, of over 50%, in 2018 and is projected to remain the dominant regional market during the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to the high demand for the product in the expanding and automotive and aerospace industries in China, India, and South-East Asian countries.
- Latin America: The automotive industry in the regional market is relatively small, yet a positive trend is seen in the automotive market in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile, which is expected to boost the demand for fluorosilicone (FVMQ) rubber during the review period.
- Middle East & Africa: The regional market in the Middle East & Africa for fluorosilicone (FVMQ) rubber held a relatively smaller share in 2018. The regional market is expected to witness healthy growth in the coming years owing to the high potential of the automotive manufacturing sector in the region.
KEY PLAYERS
- Dow (US)
- Wacker Chemie AG (Germany)
- Momentive (US)
- James Walker (UK)
- Rogers Corporation (US)
- Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd (China)
- Shanghai Fluoron Chemicals (China)
- STOCKWELL ELASTOMERICS, INC (US)
- Shanghai 3F New Materials Co., Ltd (China)
- NUSIL (US)
- Primasil Silicones Limited (UK)
- Hangzhou Fine Fluorotech Co., Ltd (China)
Recent News
November 2023- Out of all the projects, only Elkem’s collaborative Resourcing Silicones Polymers (REPOS) was acknowledged in the Circularity category; its aim is to create environmentally designed depolymerization chemistry to reduce silicone waste.
September 2023- This is what Fluoron Chemicals’ large-diameter heat-shrinkable fluoropolymer wraps and jackets are showing you about the future of engineering.
December 2022: In five years’ time, by 2025, 3M plans to cease manufacturing perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and related compounds. It will discontinue using PFAS across its entire range of products before that date.
October 2022: Trelleborg Group bought Minnesota Rubber & Plastics; it is a company from the USA making fluoro silicone rubber products for this part of the world, at $950 million.
In May 2021, Dow announced it has launched DOWSIL™ Fluorosilicone Elastomers—a new product family providing high-temperature resistance as well as low temp flexibility and excellent fuel/oil resistance.
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