In the field of industrial materials, there’s a special nickname—“the MSG of industry.” But this isn’t referring to a food additive; instead, it’s used to describe silicone materials. Just as a tiny amount of MSG can enhance the savory flavor of a dish during cooking, silicone, when added in small quantities (sometimes even less than 1%) to various material formulations, can remarkably address the inherent weaknesses of existing materials—or even endow them with entirely new, cutting-edge functionalities. From plastics and rubber to coatings and textiles, silicone shines as a “key supporting player” that boosts the value of materials with its unique “small dosage, big impact” properties. Today, let’s uncover the core reasons why silicone is dubbed the “MSG of industry,” and explore how it “lights up” the performance of other materials.
 
1. First, understand the core trait of "Industrial MSG"—small dosage, yet significant impact.
 
To understand why silicone earns the title of "the MSG of industry," you must first grasp two key features: its low usage proportion and its significant performance-enhancing effects.
 
In most material systems, the addition of silicone typically ranges from 0.1% to 5%, far lower than the proportion of the base material itself—such as in plastics, where silicone additives are used at just 0.5% to 2%. Yet, it is this small amount of silicone that effectively addresses the core challenges of these materials: For instance, during plastic processing, the "mold sticking" issue can be easily resolved by adding a tiny quantity of silicone-based lubricant. Similarly, for rubber products facing the drawback of "poor aging resistance," incorporating even a small amount of silane coupling agent can significantly extend their service life.
 
This "winning with less" characteristic perfectly aligns with the role of monosodium glutamate in dishes—requiring no excessive addition yet precisely enhancing the core dining experience. More importantly, organosilicon compounds do not compromise the inherent properties of the original materials; instead, they build upon and "upgrade" the strengths of the base materials, which is also the key reason why they can be widely compatible with various types of materials.
 
II. Five Core Scenarios Where Organosilicon "Enhances" the Performance of Other Materials
 
Silicone enhances material performance not through single-dimensional optimization, but by encompassing multiple stages—including processing, application, and functionality. Here are five typical application scenarios that clearly demonstrate how silicone "empowers" various materials.
 
1. Plastics sector: Addressing the pain points of "difficult processing and easy aging," thereby extending product lifespan.
 
Plastic is one of the most widely used fields for silicone applications, where silicones are primarily added as "additives" (such as lubricants, antioxidants, and weathering agents) to address two key challenges:
 
Improving Processing Flowability: During injection molding, common plastics such as PP and PE tend to generate friction between the molten material and the mold surface, often resulting in rough product surfaces or even "sticking" defects. However, by adding 0.5%–1% of an organic silicone lubricant (such as silicone masterbatch), the surface tension of the plastic melt can be reduced, significantly lowering frictional resistance. This not only enhances the surface smoothness of the finished products by more than 30% but also shortens the molding cycle by 10%–15%.
 
Enhancing Weather Resistance and Anti-Aging Performance: Plastics used outdoors—such as awnings and enclosures for photovoltaic components—are prone to becoming brittle and fading when exposed long-term to ultraviolet light and high temperatures. By adding 1%–2% of an organic silicon weathering agent (e.g., benzotriazole-based silanes), a protective "film" can be formed on the plastic surface, effectively blocking UV radiation from damaging the molecular chains. This significantly extends the anti-aging lifespan of the plastic—from 2–3 years up to 5–8 years.
 
For example, PP-modified plastic used for car bumpers, when combined with silicone additives, not only flows more smoothly during injection molding but also maintains excellent toughness across a temperature range of -30°C to 80°C, preventing brittle cracking at low temperatures.
 
2. Rubber industry: Enhance "elasticity and high/low-temperature resistance" performance, expanding application boundaries
 
The core requirements for rubber products—such as tires and seals—are elasticity and weather resistance. Silicones, through "modification" or "compounding," endow rubber with even more comprehensive performance characteristics:
 
Enhancing Elasticity and Temperature Resistance: Ordinary natural rubber tends to become hard and brittle below -20°C, while it easily softens above 100°C. By blending 10%-15% silicone rubber with natural rubber, the resulting compound can withstand extreme cold down to -50°C and high temperatures up to 150°C. At the same time, the elastic recovery rate improves from 80% to over 95%, making it ideal for automotive tires used in frigid regions or sealing rings designed for high-temperature environments.
 
Enhancing Wear Resistance and Tear Strength: Adding 5%-8% of organosilicon coupling agents (such as KH-550) to tire rubber can improve the compatibility between the rubber and fillers like carbon black and silica, ensuring uniform dispersion of the fillers. This leads to a 20%-25% improvement in tire wear resistance and extends the tire's service life by 15%-20%.
 
A typical example is the sealing rubber used in the aerospace industry, which, after being modified with silicone, can maintain its sealing performance even under extreme temperatures ranging from -60°C to 200°C—and remains durable enough to prevent aging and cracking over long-term use.
 
3. Coatings sector: Imparting "weather resistance, waterproofing, and easy cleaning" functionalities to enhance coating value
 
The performance of a coating directly determines the protective effect on the substrate being coated. As a "functional additive," silicone brings three key enhancements to coatings:
 
Superior Weather Resistance: Exterior wall coatings are often exposed to rain and UV radiation over time, making them prone to peeling and fading. By adding 2%-3% of organic silicon resin (such as methyl triethoxysilane), a cross-linking structure can be formed with the resin in the coating, significantly enhancing its resistance to UV rays. This not only extends the weather-resistant lifespan of the exterior wall coating from 5–8 years to 15–20 years but also ensures that the color remains vibrant and resistant to fading.
 
Excellent water resistance: Building waterproof coatings incorporate 1%-2% of silicone-based water repellents (such as polydimethylsiloxane), which form a "hydrophobic layer" on the substrate surface. This enhances the contact angle of water on the coating from 60° to over 110°, creating a "lotus effect" that effectively prevents rainwater penetration—while still allowing the substrate to breathe naturally.
 
Easy-to-clean feature: The powder coating used for appliance exteriors includes 0.5%–1% of an organic silicone leveling agent, which enhances the smoothness of the coating surface, making it more resistant to dust and oil stains. Cleaning becomes effortless—simply wiping is all it takes—to help reduce maintenance costs.
 
For example, fluorocarbon coatings used on high-speed train bodies, when combined with silicone-based additives, not only significantly enhance weather resistance but also effectively protect against corrosion caused by bird droppings and acid rain, ensuring the train’s exterior remains clean and pristine over the long term.
 
4. Textile sector: Achieve "soft, waterproof, and antibacterial" effects to enhance the user experience.
 
The feel and functionality of textiles are key concerns for consumers, and silicones, in the form of "finishing agents," impart a wide range of desirable properties to textiles:
 
Improving the Soft Handfeel: Pure cotton fabrics feel relatively stiff when untreated. However, after being treated with 0.3%–0.5% of an organic silicone softener—such as amino-modified silicone oil—a lubricating film forms on the fiber surface, transforming the handfeel from "rough" to "soft and smooth." Moreover, this enhanced softness persists even after multiple washes.
 
Granting waterproof and breathable functionality: Polyester fabrics used in outdoor apparel are coated with an organic silicone-based water-repellent finish—such as fluorosilicone resin—at a concentration of 0.8% to 1.2%, creating a "microporous structure" on the fiber surface. This allows the fabric to effectively block rainwater penetration (achieving a waterproof rating of IPX5 or higher) while simultaneously enabling moisture generated by the body to escape effortlessly, thereby addressing the common drawback of traditional waterproof fabrics being "not breathable."
 
Add antibacterial functionality: For intimate textiles such as underwear and towels, incorporating 0.5%–1% of silicone-based antibacterial agents (e.g., quaternary ammonium-modified silicone oil) can effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria like E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, achieving an antibacterial rate of over 99%. Additionally, these products are highly safe and non-irritating to the skin.
 
For example, sports brands' quick-dry T-shirts, after being treated with silicone finishing agents, not only feel soft to the touch but also quickly wick away moisture and sweat, while also offering mild antibacterial properties that enhance wearing comfort.
 
5. In the field of electronic materials: Ensuring "insulation, thermal conductivity, and flame retardancy" properties to maintain stable device performance.
 
Electronic devices demand extremely high levels of material safety and reliability. Silicone, in forms such as "encapsulating adhesives, thermal pads, and insulating coatings," provides critical protection for electronic materials.
 
High-efficiency insulation performance: The insulating varnish used for motor windings, when blended with 5%–10% silicone resin, significantly enhances the dielectric strength of the varnish—from 30 kV/mm to over 50 kV/mm—while also boosting its temperature resistance from 120°C to 180°C. This ensures stable motor operation even under high-temperature and high-voltage conditions, effectively preventing electrical leakage failures.
 
Excellent thermal conductivity performance: The epoxy resin used for LED chip packaging, when combined with 15%-20% of organic silicon-based thermally conductive fillers (such as aluminum oxide or boron nitride), can increase the material’s thermal conductivity from 0.2 W/(m·K) to 1.5–2.5 W/(m·K). This effectively dissipates the heat generated by the LED chip, preventing high temperatures that cause light decay. As a result, the lifespan of the LED is extended from 5,000 hours to over 20,000 hours.
 
Reliable Flame-Retardant Performance: Copper-clad laminates used in electronic circuit boards, when combined with 3%-5% of organic silicon flame retardants (such as magnesium hydroxide-modified silicone oil), can elevate the flame-retardant rating of the laminate from UL94 V-2 to V-0. This allows the material to rapidly form a protective, flame-resistant layer upon exposure to open flames, effectively preventing fire spread and ensuring the safe operation of electronic devices.
 
For example, the power module of a 5G base station utilizes a combination of silicone-based thermal conductive material and insulating material, which not only efficiently dissipates heat but also ensures excellent insulation performance, enabling the base station to remain stable even under heavy-load operation.
 
III. Summary: The Essence of Silicone as "Industrial MSG" — Precise Empowerment, Value Enhancement
 
Organosilicon is known as "the MSG of industry" because, at its core, it doesn't replace existing materials—it instead addresses the key pain points of materials in a "precisely empowering" manner, ultimately enhancing their overall value.
 
From the perspective of usage, it accounts for a small proportion yet plays a crucial role—much like MSG, where "a little goes a long way."
 
From an effectiveness standpoint, it doesn’t compromise the original advantages of the substrate but instead focuses on "addressing weaknesses and strengthening strengths" across dimensions such as processing, performance, and functionality.
 
From an application perspective, it is compatible with multiple fields such as plastics, rubber, coatings, and electronics, showcasing exceptional versatility and flexibility.
 
Today, as industrial technology continues to advance, the demands on material performance are growing ever higher, making silicones' "empowering" role increasingly vital. From everyday plastic products and clothing fabrics to cutting-edge aerospace seals and 5G electronic devices, silicones are quietly "elevating" the performance of various materials—earning them the nickname "industrial MSG"—and driving industrial products toward greater quality, reliability, and functionality. This is precisely why silicones have secured an irreplaceable position in the industrial sector.