When choosing silicone for food, medical, or high-purity applications, the wrong cure system can cause contamination, odor, or failure. The difference between platinum and peroxide curing isn't just chemistry—it's performance, safety, and cost.
Platinum-cured silicone rubber uses a platinum catalyst to create a clean, stable, and high-purity elastomer with low extractables, making it ideal for medical, food-grade, and sensitive industrial uses.
Platinum-cured silicone has become the go-to material for many critical applications, from baby bottle nipples to semiconductor tubing. Let me break down why engineers—and buyers like me—often pay more for it, and when it's actually worth the cost.
How does platinum-cured silicone compare to peroxide-cured silicone?
You may think all silicone rubbers are created equal, but the curing system changes everything—durability, clarity, purity, and even smell.
Platinum-cured silicone is cleaner and more stable than peroxide-cured silicone, with lower volatility, no odor, and better resistance to yellowing.
Cure Chemistry and Contamination
In peroxide-cured silicone1, organic peroxides create crosslinks during vulcanization. But they also leave behind residual by-products like benzene derivatives or acetic acid. These can cause odor, taste contamination, and reduced biocompatibility2.
Platinum-cured silicone, also known as addition-cure silicone, forms crosslinks using a platinum catalyst. The process leaves no by-products, which is why it's preferred for:
- Pharmaceutical tubing
- Infant products
- Lab equipment
- Cleanroom gaskets
| Property | Platinum-Cured Silicone | Peroxide-Cured Silicone |
|---|---|---|
| Odor | None | Slight (vinegar or burnt smell) |
| Clarity | Transparent to translucent | Opaque |
| Extractables/Volatiles | Very low | Moderate to high |
| Biocompatibility | Excellent | Limited |
| Cost | Higher | Lower |
| Typical Uses | Food, pharma, medical | General industrial |
So for my cleanroom clients, I always recommend platinum-cured silicone. But for general sealing or industrial cushioning, peroxide-cured might offer better cost efficiency.
Is platinum-cured silicone safe?
In regulated industries, safety is not just a marketing term—it's a legal and operational requirement. Safety here means biocompatibility, chemical purity, and thermal stability.
Yes, platinum-cured silicone is safe for food, beverage, medical, and clean industrial use. It meets FDA, USP Class VI, and EU food-contact standards.
Certifications and Compliance
Platinum-cured silicone typically meets:
- FDA 21 CFR 177.26003: U.S. standard for rubber articles in repeated food use
- USP Class VI: U.S. Pharmacopeia biocompatibility for medical use
- RoHS and REACH: For environmental and chemical safety4
- EN 1935/2004 & BfR: For food-contact safety in the EU
Because there's no peroxide residue, platinum-cured silicone is odorless and tasteless—critical for food or beverage dispensing.
Applications Requiring Platinum Cure
- Coffee machine gaskets5
- Dairy tubing
- Baby bottle nipples
- Medical syringes and catheters
- Semiconductor fluid lines
I’ve worked with clients in both food and medical sectors. Their purchasing teams are obsessed with traceability and compliance, so we always provide full certification sets, including EN 10204 3.1, FDA letters, and third-party lab reports.
What temperature range, hardness, and compression-set performance can I expect in my design?
Design engineers care about more than purity—they care about how silicone performs under pressure, temperature, and time. That’s where platinum-cured silicone shows its technical edge.
Platinum-cured silicone works from -60°C to +230°C, with Shore A hardness between 20 and 80, and superior compression set resistance.
Key Technical Properties
| Property | Value Range |
|---|---|
| Working Temperature6 | -60°C to +230°C (short-term 250°C) |
| Shore A Hardness Range7 | 20–80 |
| Compression Set (22h @175°C) | ≤15% |
| Tensile Strength | 6–11 MPa |
| Elongation at Break8 | 200–700% |
| Dielectric Strength9 | 20–25 kV/mm |
Performance Advantages in Sealing
- Low compression set10 ensures long-term sealing without gasket collapse.
- Stable elasticity across temperature ranges avoids cracking in cold or softening in heat.
- No leaching means no taste or smell transfer in food-grade systems.
For HVAC and fluid systems that see wide temperature shifts, this kind of consistency is gold. In one of our OEM projects for a dairy processing client, switching from peroxide to platinum-cured gaskets extended the maintenance cycle from 6 to 12 months. That meant fewer shutdowns—and fewer headaches.
Will choosing platinum-cured silicone increase my cost or lead time for a custom order?
For buyers like me, there's always a trade-off between performance and price. Platinum silicone is premium—but does it make financial sense?
Yes, platinum-cured silicone usually costs more and may take longer to source. But for critical uses, its stability and purity justify the investment.
Cost Breakdown
Platinum-cured silicone is often 15% to 50% more expensive than peroxide-cured rubber due to:
- Platinum catalyst cost
- Cleaner formulation process
- Post-curing and FDA-grade processing controls
Lead Time Considerations
At Julong Rubber, we keep limited platinum-cured stock, so:
- Molded part lead time: 2–3 weeks for samples
- Tube/hose extrusions: Usually faster—within 10–14 days
- Large batches: May require 4–6 weeks if raw material needs sourcing
When It’s Worth It
If your application involves:
- Regulatory compliance (FDA/USP)
- High-purity environment (labs, pharma)
- Extreme temperature shifts
- Odor- or taste-sensitive products
…then platinum-cured silicone is not an upgrade. It’s a requirement.
In fact, many of our EU clients working in HVAC or high-end fluid control choose peroxide-cured gaskets for the budget line, and platinum only when clients require full compliance.
Conclusion
Platinum-cured silicone offers unmatched purity, safety, and performance—especially in sensitive or regulated industries.
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Learn about peroxide-cured silicone, its uses, and how it compares to platinum-cured options in various industries. ↩
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Understanding biocompatibility is crucial for ensuring safety in medical applications; explore its significance. ↩
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Discover the FDA regulations for rubber articles in food use and why compliance is essential for safety. ↩
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Explore RoHS and REACH regulations to understand their role in ensuring environmental and chemical safety. ↩
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Explore this resource to understand how platinum-cured silicone enhances coffee machine performance and safety. ↩
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Explore this link to understand the critical temperature range for platinum-cured silicone, ensuring optimal performance in your applications. ↩
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Understanding the Shore A hardness range is crucial for selecting the right silicone for your application, ensuring optimal performance. ↩
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Understanding elongation at break helps in selecting the right silicone for applications requiring flexibility and durability. ↩
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Understanding dielectric strength is crucial for ensuring safety and performance in electrical applications, especially in high-temperature environments. ↩
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Understanding compression set is crucial for ensuring long-term sealing performance in various applications. ↩
