Silicone rubber powder and method of manufacturing thereof

1. A silicone rubber powder obtained by curing a condensation-curable silicone rubber composition in a dispersed state in water, the powder having an epoxy equivalent measured by titration equal to or lower than 3,000 and an average particle size in the

range of 0.1 to 100 μm, wherein the condensation-curable silicone rubber compostition comprises the following components (A) through (D):

(A) a diorganopolysiloxane capped at both molecular terminals with silanol groups and having in one molecule 30 or less silicon atoms;

(B) an organopolysiloxane having in one molecule at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms wherein the mole number of silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms contained in this component becomes equal to or lower than 80% of the mole number of silanol groups in component (A);

(C) an epoxy-containing alkoxysilane wherein the mole number of silicon-bonded alkoxy groups contained in this component becomes equal to or greater than 40% of the mole number of silanol groups remaining after subtraction of the mole number of the silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms of component (B) from the mole number silanol groups of component (A); and

(D) a condensation-reaction catalyst used in an amount of 0.01 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the sum of components(A) to (C).

2. The silicone rubber powder according to claim 1 having type-A durometer hardness according to JIS K 6253 equal to or greater than 50.

3. The silicone rubber powder according to claim 1 having an average particle size in the range of 0.1 to 50 μm.

4. The silicone rubber powder according to claim 1 having an average particle size in the range of 0.1 to 30 μm.

5. The silicone rubber powder according to claim 1 having type-A durometer hardness according to JIS K 6253 in the range from 50 to 90.

6. A method of manufacturing a silicone rubber powder comprising the steps of dispersing in water a silicone rubber composition comprising components (A) through (C) listed below; adding component (D); and curing the mixture, the composition being characterized by the fact that the epoxy equivalent thereof measured by a titration method is equal to or lower than 3,000 and that the average particle size of rubber powder particles is in the range of 0.1 to 100 μm:

(A) a diorganopolysiloxane capped at both molecular terminals with silanol groups and having in one molecule 30 or less silicon atoms;

(B) an organopolysiloxane having in one molecule at least two silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms wherein the mole number of silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms contained in this component becomes equal to or lower than 80% of the mole number of silanol groups in component (A);

(C) an epoxy-containing alkoxysilane wherein the mole number of silicon-bonded alkoxy groups contained in this component becomes equal to or greater than 40% of the mole number of silanol groups remaining after subtraction of the mole number of the silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms of component (B) from the mole number of silanol groups of component (A); and

(D) a condensation-reaction catalyst in an amount of 0.01 to 5 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the sum of components (A) to (C).

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein component (D) is added in a water-dispersed state.