Zhermack, Italian specialist in professional silicones Zhermack Group from Badia Polesine supplies silicone elastomers for the dental, industrial and medical sectors. Our webshop carries the SFX line: addition cure silicones with a platinum catalyst, developed for special effects, masks, animatronics and moulding body parts. Four products, each with a clearly...
Zhermack Silicones - Biocompatible Addition Cure Silicones for SFX, Prosthetics and Bodycasting (4)
Zhermack, Italian specialist in professional silicones
Zhermack Group from Badia Polesine supplies silicone elastomers for the dental, industrial and medical sectors. Our webshop carries the SFX line: addition cure silicones with a platinum catalyst, developed for special effects, masks, animatronics and moulding body parts. Four products, each with a clearly distinct field of use.
⚠️ Biocompatible is a property of the product, not of the brand
Zhermack had one biocompatibility study carried out under ISO 10993-1, and it covers exactly two products: ZA SFX 0020 and ZA SFX 10 WT 10. Both were assessed as a surface medical device for contact with intact skin at prolonged contact of more than 30 days, and for contact with mucosal membrane up to 24 hours. Testing covered cytotoxicity (ISO 10993-5), sensitisation (ISO 10993-10) and skin irritation (ISO 10993-23), with no relevant biological effects. The study was completed in August 2023.
SFX 00-30 and SkinForm were not part of that study. We therefore do not call those products biocompatible. The assessment also applies to the material as Zhermack supplies it, not to your finished part: pigment, softener, Deadner, release agent and degree of cure all influence the result. If you are making a medical device, have the cured end product tested by an accredited laboratory.
Which Zhermack silicone suits your work?
| Product | Hardness | Working time | Demould | Elongation at break | ISO 10993 assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZA SFX 10 WT 10 | Shore A 10 | 12 min | 40 min | 650 % | Yes |
| SFX 00-20 | Shore 00-20 | 25 min | 70 min | 770 % | Yes |
| SFX 00-30 | Shore 00-30 | 25 min | about 110 min | about 850 % | No |
| SkinForm | Shore A 22, brushable | 10 min | 25 min | 360 % | No |
Zhermack ZA SFX 10 WT 10, Shore A 10
The firmer of the two assessed products. ZA SFX 10 WT 10 holds its shape better than the 00 range at Shore A 10, which makes it the choice for thicker appliances, prostheses and parts that carry load. Tear strength 14 N/mm at 650 % elongation, viscosity 10,000 mPa s, mix ratio 1:1 by weight. Can be softened with Deadner. This product is being added to the webshop shortly. Contact us if you need price or lead time now.
Zhermack SFX 00-20, Shore 00-20
The softest and most stretchable in the range, and like SFX 10 assessed under ISO 10993-1. At 770 % elongation at break and Shore 00-20, SFX 00-20 comes close to the feel of tissue. Tensile strength 1.2 N/mm2, tear strength 3.5 N/mm (Die B), viscosity 5,200 mPa s, working time 25 minutes and set after 70 minutes at 23 °C. Translucent, so easy to pigment and flock.
Zhermack SFX 00-30, Shore 00-30
SFX 00-30 is the slightly firmer version of 00-20. Still ultra soft and highly stretchable, but more dimensionally stable, so larger masks and doll skins hold their shape better. Tear strength 4 N/mm, viscosity 6,000 mPa s, set after about 110 minutes. Not included in the biocompatibility study, so our choice for work without prolonged skin contact.
Zhermack SkinForm, ZA 22 Thixo Body
The only brushable product of the four. SkinForm is thixotropic and stays on vertical surfaces without running, which suits moulding of face, hands and torso. Shore A 22, tear strength 14 N/mm, 10 minutes working time and careful demoulding after about 25 minutes. Always work with a plaster bandage support shell.
What are these silicones used for?
- ✓ Special effects make-up, appliances and film prosthetics
- ✓ Masks, cosplay and props with skin contact
- ✓ Animatronics, robotics and dolls
- ✓ Bodycasting and lifecasting
- ✓ Prostheses and orthoses
- ✓ Medical simulation models and training phantoms
- ✓ Art, sculpture and lifelike reproductions
Working with addition cure silicones
- ✓ All four products mix 1:1 by weight, a deviation of up to 5 % does not noticeably change the result.
- ✓ The platinum catalyst is in the CATALYST component. Only use base and catalyst together when they carry the same batch number.
- ✓ Platinum silicones can be poisoned by sulphur bearing clay, latex, PVC, uncured polyurethane and epoxy, cyanoacrylate, vaseline oil and many SLA 3D prints. Test on a small scale or use a PVA barrier layer.
- ✓ Above 23 °C working time and setting time drop sharply, at 40 °C roughly by half. Below 23 °C both increase considerably.
- ✓ Preferably de-air under vacuum and pour from about 30 cm height, so air bubbles stretch and break.
- ✓ The SFX range can be softened with Deadner to a gel like consistency.
- ✓ Shelf life 12 months when stored between 5 °C and 27 °C.
Zhermack documentation
The documents below come directly from Zhermack and are in English.
Zhermack Silicones for Healthcare, biocompatibility flyer for ZA SFX 0020 and ZA SFX 10 WT 10
Zhermack Industrial Brochure, full overview of the industrial silicones with technical tables
Not sure which Zhermack silicone you need?
Tell us what kind of contact is involved, how long it lasts and how thick your layer will be, and we will advise which product fits and which documentation exists. Email us at info@siliconesandmore.com.