On February 3, 2026, a breakthrough was made in the research and development of organic silicon materials in China - a new formula of ethyl silicone oil with ultra-low temperature resistance completed industrial verification, which can maintain stable lubrication and insulation performance in extreme environments of -80 ℃. This technology was completed by a State Key Laboratory and several scientific research institutions in three years, marking that China has achieved autonomy and control in the field of special lubricating materials for extreme environments.


Technological breakthrough: molecular structure optimization to solve the problem of low-temperature solidification
Traditional silicone oil is prone to sudden viscosity increase or even solidification in low-temperature environments, which can cause equipment operation to be hindered. The research team successfully reduced the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the material by introducing ethyl side chains and optimizing the molecular chain arrangement, allowing the new formula to maintain fluidity at -80 ℃. Experimental data shows that the material has not experienced performance degradation after continuous operation for 5000 hours under simulated space vacuum environment and polar strong wind conditions, far exceeding international standards for similar products.


Application scenario: Full chain coverage from spacecraft to deep-sea exploration
At present, the technology has entered the stage of industrial implementation, and the first batch of products will be prioritized for application in three major fields:


Aerospace field: As a specialized lubricant for valves in the low-temperature fuel system of the Long March series rockets, it solves the risk of leakage of traditional hydraulic oil under extreme temperature differences in space;
Polar scientific expedition: equipped with drilling equipment and deep-sea detectors on the "Xuelong" scientific expedition ship, ensuring precise operation of the robotic arm in an environment of -60 ℃;
New energy storage: used as a low-temperature electrolyte additive for lithium batteries to enhance the endurance of electric vehicles in -30 ℃ environments.
Industry impact: promoting the localization and substitution of special materials
According to experts' calculations, this technological breakthrough can save the country over 2 billion yuan annually in the import cost of high-end lubricating materials, while driving a growth of about 15% in the output value of downstream low-temperature equipment manufacturing industry. At present, relevant standards have been included in the key areas of the "Made in China 2025" technology roadmap, and it is expected to form a market size of billions by 2028.