On February 6, 2026, Shanghai, China - Ethyl silicone oil, traditionally only used for industrial lubrication, is breaking through its application boundaries through material science innovation. From high-end cosmetics to biomedical materials, this "silicone pearl" is demonstrating amazing potential in multiple emerging fields, promoting cross industry technological integration and industrial transformation.


Cosmetics industry: dual upgrade of safety and skin feel
Under the trend of "pure beauty", consumers have increasingly stringent requirements for the safety of cosmetic ingredients. Ethyl silicone oil has become the core raw material for international brand research and development of new products due to its non-toxic, non irritating, and excellent spreadability.


The "Zero Burden" liquid foundation launched by an international beauty group uses modified ethyl silicone oil instead of traditional film-forming agent to achieve the touch of "melting on the face" by adjusting the length of the molecular chain, while avoiding the problem of pore blockage caused by silicone oil residue. Clinical tests have shown that after 28 days of use, the improvement rate of skin barrier function in subjects reached 65%, far exceeding similar products.


Ethyl silicone oil has better biocompatibility than methyl silicone oil and can blend perfectly with natural plant extracts, "said a scientist from a research and development institution." We are developing a sun protection system based on ethyl silicone oil, which uses microencapsulation technology to achieve sustained release of ultraviolet absorbers and extend the sun protection time to 12 hours


Biomedical: Implant grade materials break through international monopoly
What is even more remarkable is the breakthrough of ethyl silicone oil in the medical field. A research team announced the successful development of medical grade ethyl silicone oil, which has excellent biological inertness and lubrication properties through molecular structure design, becoming an ideal substitute for artificial joint lubricants.


Traditional artificial joint lubricants often use mineral oil or synthetic hydrocarbons, which can easily trigger immune rejection reactions. However, this material exhibits extremely low biological toxicity in animal experiments, with a joint wear rate reduced by 40% compared to imported products and a service life extended to 20 years. At present, the material has entered the human clinical trial stage and is expected to be approved for market in 2027.


In addition, significant progress has been made in the technology of ethyl silicone oil-based drug carriers. The silicone oil microspheres prepared by a certain laboratory through microfluidic technology can achieve precise sustained release of anticancer drugs, and prolong the duration of drug efficacy by 5 times in tumor model experiments, providing a new tool for personalized medicine.


The chemical stability of ethyl silicone oil makes it an ideal carrier for drug delivery, "said a professor from a medical school." This technology has the potential to solve the systemic toxicity problem of chemotherapy drugs and promote the development of precise and long-term cancer treatment


Environmental protection field: Green alternatives are highly sought after
Driven by the "dual carbon" goal, ethyl silicone oil is becoming an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional solvents. After a certain electronic manufacturing enterprise adopted water-based ethyl silicone oil release agent, the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) decreased by 92%, and the service life of molds was doubled. This technology has been applied in high-end manufacturing fields such as smartphones and new energy vehicle batteries, replacing over 3000 tons of traditional mold release agents annually.


The surface tension of ethyl silicone oil is only 1/5 of that of water, and it can form an ultra-thin and uniform film layer, which is incomparable to traditional release agents, "explained a materials scientist." Through nano modification technology, we have made it exhibit excellent adhesion on the surfaces of metals, plastics, and composite materials, meeting the requirements of precision manufacturing


Global production capacity shifts to emerging markets
With the accelerated layout of international chemical giants, the production capacity of ethyl silicone oil is showing a trend of "eastward shift". In 2025, a multinational company will close its European factory and transfer production capacity to its Southeast Asian base, while another company announced the construction of a 20000 ton per year ethyl silicone oil production line in India, with a focus on serving the Asia Pacific market.


China has the most complete organic silicon industry chain in the world, and it only takes 72 hours from metal silicon to end products, "said an industry analyst." By 2025, China's ethyl silicone oil production capacity will account for 50% of the world's total, and it is expected to exceed 65% by 2028, becoming the world's largest supply center


Faced with opportunities, the industry is increasing investment in cutting-edge research and development. A national laboratory plans to invest 500 million yuan to build a silicon material innovation center, focusing on the application of ethyl silicone oil in quantum computing, nuclear energy and other fields; Another team is collaborating with universities to explore the commercialization path of silicone oil-based flexible electronic materials.


The future of ethyl silicone oil is not just about substitution, but also about creating new demand, "concluded a materials expert." With the integration of interdisciplinary technologies, this traditional product is revitalizing and becoming a key force driving the upgrading of multiple industries