How Much Does Silicone Rubber Cost?

How Much Does Silicone Rubber Cost?

Silicone rubber is an incredibly versatile material used in a wide range of applications from medical devices to sealants to cookware. But how much does this synthetic rubber actually cost? There are many grades and forms of silicone rubber, ranging greatly in price. Here we'll examine the cost per kilogram, per gram, per pound, and per ton of both solid and liquid silicone rubber. We'll also look at what factors impact the price and how silicone rubber compares cost-wise to natural rubber.

Is Silicone Rubber Expensive?

Silicone rubber is generally more expensive than natural rubber, but is highly cost-effective for many of its unique applications. When looking at the raw material price per kilogram or pound, silicone rubber is approximately 4-10 times more expensive than natural rubber.

However, silicone often outperforms natural rubber and synthetic rubbers like EPDM in extreme environments. Silicone maintains its properties at both high and low temperatures far better than any natural rubber. The superior resistance, stability, and durability mean that silicone rubber is extremely cost-effective in the long run, even with the higher upfront material costs.

What is the Cost of Silicone Per Kg?

The cost of silicone rubber ranges anywhere from $2 per kg to $15 per kg depending on the grade.

Some typical price points for silicone rubber per kilogram are:

Food grade silicone - $3 to $12 per kg
High temperature silicone - $5 to $10 per kg
Medical grade silicone - $8 to $20 per kg
Standard platinum cured silicone - $2 to $5 per kg

Keep in mind these are general ranges. The exact price per kg will depend on the desired properties, quality, shore hardness, tear resistance, and other performance factors.

How Much Does Silicone Cost Per Gram?

Given the average price of silicone per kilogram, the cost per gram is typically $0.002 to $0.02.

Here is an overview of silicone rubber pricing per gram for different grades:

Food grade: $0.003 to $0.012 per gram
High temperature: $0.005 to $0.01 per gram
Medical grade: $0.008 to $0.02 per gram
Standard platinum cured: $0.002 to $0.005 per gram

So for small projects requiring just grams of silicone, the material cost will usually be just pennies. The exact gram price of course depends on quantity ordered, thickness, and grade required.

Price of Silicone Rubber Per Kg

On average, silicone rubber ranges from $3 to $15 per kg. However, here is an overview of pricing factors:

Standard grades - $2 to $5 per kg
Food grades - $3 to $12 per kg
Medical grades - $8 to $20 per kg
High temperature grades - $5 to $10 per kg
Additives like colorants - adds $1 to $5 per kg
Higher hardness - adds around $2 per kg
Thicker parts - adds up to $3 per kg

So silicone rubber for basic commercial use can be as low as $2 per kg. But medical, food, or high temperature applications requiring special grades and processing will be $8 per kg and up.

How Much Does Silicone Rubber Cost Per Ton?

Purchasing silicone rubber by the ton brings down the per kg pricing.

The average cost of silicone rubber per ton is:

Food grade - $3,000 to $12,000 per ton
High temperature grade - $5,000 to $10,000 per ton
Medical grade - $8,000 to $20,000 per ton
Standard platinum cured - $2,000 to $5,000 per ton

For large volume orders, savings of 20% to 30% off the base price per kg is common when ordering multiple tons of silicone. This makes silicone extremely cost-effective for high volume production.

How Much Does Liquid Silicone Rubber Cost?

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) costs 2-3 times as much as standard solid silicone per kg. LSR ranges from $5 per kg to $25 per kg.

LSR is used for injection molding and has excellent fluidity and self-bonding properties. The higher price accounts for the specialized chemistry and processing.

Some typical liquid silicone rubber pricing:

Food grade LSR: $8 to $18 per kg
Medical grade LSR: $15 to $25 per kg
Standard LSR: $5 to $12 per kg

So while LSR is more costly, it allows intricate and detailed silicone parts to be molded rather than just simple extruded profiles.

How Much Does Silicone Cost?

In summary, here are some typical price points for silicone rubber:

Per gram: $0.002 to $0.02
Per kg: $2 to $20
Per ton: $2,000 to $20,000
Liquid silicone per kg: $5 to $25

The maximum cost for specialty medical or food grade silicone ordered by the kg or in very small quantities can be up to $20 per kg or $0.02 per gram.

But for large volume commercial orders, standard silicone can cost as little as $2 per kg or $0.002 per gram.

How Much Does Silicone Rubber Cost Per Pound?

The cost per pound of silicone rubber is approximately $1 to $7. To convert from kg pricing to per pound pricing, divide the kg price by 2.2.

Here are typical silicone rubber prices per pound:

Food grade: $1.50 to $5.50 per pound
Medical grade: $3.50 to $9 per pound
High temperature grade: $2.25 to $4.50 per pound
Standard platinum cured: $1 to $2.25 per pound

So in small quantities, silicone can cost over $9 per pound. But for bulk orders, standard silicone rubber can cost as little as $1 per pound.

Liquid Silicone Rubber Price Per Kg

As mentioned earlier, liquid silicone rubber costs 2-3 times as much as solid silicone per kg.

Typical LSR pricing:

Food grade LSR: $8 to $18 per kg
Medical grade LSR: $15 to $25 per kg
Standard LSR: $5 to $12 per kg

The specialized chemistry and processing required to produce liquid silicone that can be injection molded accounts for the significantly higher pricing over basic solid silicone rubber.

Silicone Rubber Price Chart

Here is a quick price chart summary for solid silicone rubber per kg:

Food grade: $3 to $12 per kg
Medical grade: $8 to $20 per kg
High temperature: $5 to $10 per kg
Standard platinum cured: $2 to $5 per kg

And for liquid silicone rubber:

Food grade LSR: $8 to $18 per kg
Medical grade LSR: $15 to $25 per kg
Standard LSR: $5 to $12 per kg

These represent general ranges - prices may be higher or lower depending on order volume, thickness, hardness, and other custom requirements.

How Much Does Rubber Cost?

$1 to $3 per kg
$1,000 to $3,000 per metric ton

So natural rubber can cost as little as $1 per kg, compared to $2 per kg and up for silicone.

The lower cost and adequate properties make natural rubber ideal for common applications like tires. But silicone's superior performance characteristics justify the higher price tag for products requiring high heat resistance, durability, and biocompatibility.

How Much Does Rubber Cost Per Pound?

Similar to the comparison per kg, natural rubber is less expensive per pound compared to silicone rubber.

Natural rubber prices:

$0.50 to $1.50 per pound

Silicone rubber prices:

$1 to $7 per pound

So natural rubber can be purchased for under $1.50 per pound, while medical or food grade silicone will cost as much as $7 to $9 per pound.

Again, silicone's capability to withstand extreme environments and conditions makes it a cost-effective choice over natural rubber for specialized applications, despite the higher upfront cost.

Conclusion

In summary, silicone rubber costs range from $2 to $20 per kg, with medical and food grades at the top end and standard commercial grades at the lower end. Liquid silicone for injection molding runs $5 to $25 per kg. Silicone is more expensive than natural rubber but provides superior resistance to extreme temperatures, oils, weathering, and aging. For applications where these properties are critical, silicone is extremely cost-effective compared to natural rubbers.