Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone RTV566

Two-part room-temperature-vulcanising silicone rubber: RTV566A base compound and RTV566B curing agent. The datasheet does not print the polymer or filler chemistry.

Momentive RTV566 is a red, two-part, room-temperature-cure silicone rubber sold for low-outgassing use in vacuum.

8 sources · Updated 2026-11-02 · CC BY 4.0

Evidence level

2 of 5

Lab-measured

Temperature range

-115 °C to 260 °C continuous

Outgassing

0.14 % total mass loss

Adhesion

33 kg/cm2 on primed aluminium

Working time

1.5 hrs work life

Recipe, share of the weight

  • not statedRTV566A base compound
  • not statedRTV566B curing agent
  • not statedRed iron oxide (Part A ingredient)
  • not statedKieselguhr, soda ash flux-calcined (Part A ingredient)
  • not statedSilicic acid, ethyl ester (Part A ingredient)

Best for

Low-outgassing bonding, potting and thermal insulation of vacuum hardware that runs between -115 °C and 260 °C continuously

Weakest at

Strength and cure speed: tensile strength of 56 kg/cm2 (800 psi) and Shore A 61 when cured 7 days at 25 °C, and a primer is needed to bond non-silicone surfaces

Risk at a glance

  • People None found. Not classified under 29 CFR 1910.1200 (Part A SDS)
  • If it fails Moderate. Poor adhesion to non-silicone surfaces
  • Corrosion No data. No corrosion data recorded

Quick facts: RTV566

Key properties of RTV566
PropertyValueBasis
Density1.491 sourced value
Tensile strength5.49 MPa1 sourced value
Maximum service temperature260 to 316 °C2 sourced values across conditions

What is the density of Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone?

Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone has a density of 1.49. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.

What is the tensile strength of Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone?

Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone has a tensile strength of 5.49 MPa. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.

What is the maximum service temperature of Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone?

Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone has a maximum service temperature of 260 to 316 °C. The range covers 2 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.

What is Momentive RTV566 low-outgassing silicone used for?

Uses recorded in the sources include Cast-in-place heat shielding; Cast-in-place thermal insulation; Potting and encapsulation of electrical assemblies.

Why it exists

Momentive RTV566 is a red, two-part, room-temperature-cure silicone rubber from Momentive Performance Materials, sold for low-outgassing use in vacuum. Its datasheet gives a continuous service range from -115 °C to 260 °C and up to 316 °C for short periods. The datasheet reports a total mass loss of 0.14 % and a volatile condensable material of 0.02 % in the ASTM E595 test. NASA's outgassing compilation lists 18 RTV 566 records, which is why the material is a common reference for spacecraft adhesives and potting.

Where it's used

Cast-in-place heat shielding and thermal insulation

Momentive lists cast-in-place heat shielding and thermal insulation among the potential applications of RTV 566 Paste. The page names no mission or flight.

Potting and encapsulating electronics

Momentive lists potting and encapsulation of electrical assemblies, and the assembly of photovoltaic modules, among its potential applications. The datasheet adds that deaeration may be needed after pouring in complex assemblies.

Outgassing-tested spacecraft adhesives and potting

NASA's outgassing list (RP-1124 Rev. 3) has 18 RTV 566 records: 15 labelled ADHESIVE, 2 POTTING-ADH and 1 POTTING. These are ground test results, not flight results.

Recipe

Two-part room-temperature-vulcanising silicone rubber: RTV566A base compound and RTV566B curing agent. The datasheet does not print the polymer or filler chemistry.

RTV566 is a two-part silicone rubber that cures at room temperature. The base compound RTV566A is mixed with the curing agent RTV566B at 100 parts base to 0.1 part curing agent by weight, the most commonly used ratio. The Part A safety data sheet lists red iron oxide, kieselguhr and silicic acid, ethyl ester as ingredients, and a 2014 Raman and FTIR study names polydimethylsiloxane in RTV566.

What RTV566 is made of
IngredientShare of the weightWhat it does
RTV566A base compound not stated The silicone base compound. It is a red paste with a viscosity of 42700 cps and a specific gravity of 1.49 before cure.
RTV566B curing agent not stated Starts the room-temperature cure once mixed into the base. It is yellow-brown and has a specific gravity of 1.15 as printed.
Red iron oxide (Part A ingredient) not stated Listed as the ingredient with the widest range in the Part A safety data sheet. The SDS gives a workplace exposure limit for it and does not state its function in the compound.
Kieselguhr, soda ash flux-calcined (Part A ingredient) not stated Listed in the Part A safety data sheet with a workplace exposure limit. The SDS does not state its function.
Silicic acid, ethyl ester (Part A ingredient) not stated Listed in the Part A safety data sheet. PubChem gives GHS hazard statements for it, and the 2014 Raman and FTIR study reports silicic acid and tetraethyl orthosilicate in RTV566.

Weight shares are as printed in the sources.

What it can do

Temperature range

-115 °C to 260 °C continuous

measured

The datasheet gives continuous service from -115 °C to 260 °C, and up to 316 °C for short periods. The Momentive aerospace page prints -130 °C as the low end for its low-outgassing silicones in general, which is not reconciled with the -115 °C figure.

Outgassing

0.14 % total mass loss

measured

The datasheet reports 0.14 % total mass loss and 0.02 % volatile condensable material under ASTM E595, after 7 days at 25 °C. The six NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst range from 0.08 % to 0.13 % total mass loss.

Adhesion

33 kg/cm2 on primed aluminium

measured

The datasheet gives a lap shear of 33 kg/cm2 (465 psi) on primed aluminium, a tensile strength of 56 kg/cm2 and 120 % elongation for the same cured compound.

Working time

1.5 hrs work life

measured

The catalysed mix has a work life of 1.5 hrs and a tack-free time of 2.2 hrs, both printed in the datasheet.

How it compares

RTV566 is a moderate-strength silicone (tensile strength 56 kg/cm2, Shore A 61), not a structural adhesive. On outgassing it sits at the listing limit: the datasheet's total mass loss of 0.14 % is just above the 0.08 % to 0.13 % range that NASA records show at 0.1 % catalyst, and both are well under the NASA listing limits of 1.0 % total mass loss and 0.10 % volatile condensable material. The silicone-rtv profile in this collection describes a different product, so its values are not compared here.

The same measurements for each material, so you can compare them. Each row names the key condition under the value; the full conditions and methods are in the numbered notes under Technical details.

Benchmarks
MeasurementRTV566
Thermal behavior and safety
Water vapour regained, NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst (range)0.02 to 0.05 %11
Lifetime and stability
Work life of the catalysed mix1.5 hrs12
NASA listing limit for total mass loss and CVCM (a criterion, not an RTV566 measurement)1 %15
Physical and electrical
Shore A hardnessPrinted in the typical cured properties table61 Shore A
Other measurements
Continuous maximum service temperature260 °C1
Short-period maximum temperature316 °C2
Continuous minimum service temperature-115 °C3
Specific gravity of the RTV566A base1.49 -4
Viscosity of the RTV566A base42700 cps5
Tensile strengthPrinted in the typical cured properties table56 kg/cm²
ElongationPrinted in the typical cured properties table120 %
Lap shear strength on primed aluminium33 kg/cm²6
Total mass loss, Momentive datasheet0.14 %7
Volatile condensable material, Momentive datasheet0.02 %8
Total mass loss, NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst (range)0.08 to 0.13 %9
Volatile condensable material, NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst (range)0 to 0.02 %10
Tack-free time of the catalysed mix2.2 hrs13
Application rate through a 0.125 in orifice180 gm/min14
Flash point of the Part A base compound (SDS)125 °C16

Why choose it, and why not

Good for

  • Low-outgassing bonding and potting where a service range of -115 °C to 260 °C is needed. NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst show 0.08 % to 0.13 % total mass loss.
  • Cast-in-place heat shielding and thermal insulation, the uses Momentive names for RTV 566 Paste.

Watch out for

  • Non-silicone surfaces need a primer, SS4155 per the datasheet.
  • Two low-temperature limits are printed: -115 °C in the datasheet and -130 °C on the Momentive page, which covers the product line in general.
  • Outgassing varies with catalyst level. NASA's 0.3 % and 0.7 % catalyst records show 0.34 % and 0.36 % total mass loss, well above the 0.1 % records.

RTV566 is a moderate-strength, low-outgassing silicone for thermal insulation, heat shielding and potting in vacuum hardware. Its datasheet total mass loss of 0.14 % sits next to NASA's 0.08 % to 0.13 % range. The Part A SDS gives no hazard classification, and the silicon supply rows describe the feedstock rather than this product. No supply data for RTV566 itself and no ageing data beyond the SDS note on oxidation above 150 °C were read, so those parts stay incomplete.

Technical details

For scientists and researchers. Everything above comes from the record below: every number with its method, its conditions and its source.

Notes

The method, full conditions and any caveat for the numbered rows above.

Notes for the numbered rows
#MeasurementMethodConditionsCaveat
1Continuous maximum service temperatureContinuous service limit printed in the datasheet key featuresstate cured RTV566basis continuous use, printed as 260 °C (500 °F)—
2Short-period maximum temperatureShort-period limit printed in the datasheet key featuresstate cured RTV566basis printed as 316 °C (600 °F) for short periods of time; the period is not defined in the datasheet—
3Continuous minimum service temperatureLow-temperature limit printed in the datasheet key featuresstate cured RTV566basis continuous use, printed as -115 °C (-175 °F)Momentive's aerospace page prints -130 °C (-200 °F) to 260 °C (500 °F) as the range for its low-outgassing silicones in general, not for RTV566 specifically. The two low-temperature figures are not reconciled.
4Specific gravity of the RTV566A basePrinted as specific gravity of the uncured base componentstate RTV566A base compound, uncuredtemperature not printedThe curing agent RTV566B has a specific gravity of 1.15 in the same table.
5Viscosity of the RTV566A basePrinted as viscosity of the uncured base componentstate RTV566A base compound, uncuredtemperature not printed—
6Lap shear strength on primed aluminiumPrinted in the typical cured properties table, lap shear on primed Alsubstrate primed aluminium (the primer is not named in the table)state cured 7 days at 25 °C and 50 % R.H.printed as 33 kg/cm2 (465 psi)—
7Total mass loss, Momentive datasheetPrinted in the typical cured properties table with an ASTM E595 footnotetest ASTM E595, as stated in the table footnotestate cured 7 days at 25 °C and 50 % R.H.—
8Volatile condensable material, Momentive datasheetPrinted in the typical cured properties table with an ASTM E595 footnotetest ASTM E595, as stated in the table footnotestate cured 7 days at 25 °C and 50 % R.H.—
9Total mass loss, NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst (range)Range across the six RTV 566 records at 0.1 % catalyst, read from the table. The 0.3 % and 0.7 % catalyst records (0.34 % and 0.36 % total mass loss) and the primer sandwich records are excluded.catalyst 0.1 % by weight curing agent (BW CAT)cure 7 days at 25 °C in airtest ASTM E595 as tabulated by NASArecords six records: GSFC6230, GSC12835, GSFC6503, GSCI0862, GSCI0865, GSCI0868—
10Volatile condensable material, NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst (range)Range across the same six NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst, read from the tablecatalyst 0.1 % by weight curing agent (BW CAT)cure 7 days at 25 °C in airtest ASTM E595 as tabulated by NASArecords six records: GSFC6230, GSC12835, GSFC6503, GSCI0862, GSCI0865, GSCI0868—
11Water vapour regained, NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst (range)Range across the same six NASA records at 0.1 % catalyst, read from the tablecatalyst 0.1 % by weight curing agent (BW CAT)cure 7 days at 25 °C in airtest as tabulated by NASArecords six records: GSFC6230, GSC12835, GSFC6503, GSCI0862, GSCI0865, GSCI0868—
12Work life of the catalysed mixPrinted in the typical catalysed properties tablemix 100 parts RTV566A to 0.1 part RTV566B by weightbasis printed under typical catalysed properties—
13Tack-free time of the catalysed mixPrinted in the typical catalysed properties tablemix 100 parts RTV566A to 0.1 part RTV566B by weightbasis printed under typical catalysed properties—
14Application rate through a 0.125 in orificePrinted in the typical catalysed properties tablemeasured 45 minutes after mixing, 0.125 in orifice at 90 psimix 100 parts RTV566A to 0.1 part RTV566B by weight—
15NASA listing limit for total mass loss and CVCM (a criterion, not an RTV566 measurement)Criterion stated in the NASA introduction; not a measured value for RTV566basis NASA lists only materials with a total mass loss of 1.0 percent or less and a CVCM of 0.10 percent or less—
16Flash point of the Part A base compound (SDS)Printed in the safety data sheet physical and chemical properties sectionstate RTV566 Part A, liquid base component, as printed in the SDStest Pensky-Martens closed cup, as printed—

Corrosion and compatibility

What happens when it meets other materials and environments.

Corrosion and compatibility
EnvironmentConcernWhat happens
Heated in air above 150 °C not rated Oxidative degradation above 150 °C in air forms small amounts of formaldehyde, per the Part A SDS.1
Corrosion details
#EnvironmentDetailsTest conditions
1 Heated in air above 150 °C Measurements above 150 °C in air found that small amounts of formaldehyde form through oxidative degradation. The SDS gives no amount, time or rate. temperature above 150 °Catmosphere air (oxygen)basis SDS statement; no time, amount or rate is printed

Risks and side effects

Hazards to people, what happens when a cell overheats, and how the material is handled and stored.

For people

Momentive's Part A safety data sheet gives the product as not classified under 29 CFR 1910.1200, with no signal word and no hazard statement. No safety data sheet for the curing agent RTV566B is among the sources of this profile.

Part A
The SDS gives no hazard class, no signal word and no hazard statement. Its flash point is 125 °C, and it has no data for skin or eye irritation.
Ingredient
PubChem lists GHS hazard statements for silicic acid, ethyl ester, a Part A ingredient at 1 to under 5 %: flammable liquid and vapour, harmful if swallowed, causes serious eye irritation, harmful if inhaled, may cause respiratory irritation, and toxic to aquatic life.
Primer
The bonding primer SS4155 is named in the datasheet. Its own hazards were not read, and the datasheet says other materials may need additional precautions.

Bonding and processing

These steps come from the Momentive datasheet and set how the compound is mixed, degassed and bonded.

Mixing
Mix 100 parts RTV566A with 0.1 part RTV566B by weight, in a container 4 to 5 times larger than the compound volume.
Air bubbles
Degas under a vacuum of 25 mm (29 inches) of mercury minimum. Potted assemblies may need deaeration after pouring.
Bonding
Non-silicone surfaces need a primer. Clean with naphtha or methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), apply a thin film of SS4155 primer, let it air dry for one hour or more, then apply freshly mixed RTV566.

Cure and heat

The cure schedule sets how long a part must wait before it is handled or used hot.

Cure
The compound is handleable after 24 hours at 25 °C and 50 % R.H. The datasheet recommends 7 days for best outgassing and adhesion.
Above 150 °C
Condition the cured part before service above 150 °C: 8 hours at 100 °C, then 8 more hours at each 28 °C step up to the service temperature.

Test details
The original wording and numbers from the sources, for readers who want them.

Failure risks

Failure risks
FailureTrigger and consequence
Voids in the cured product from entrapped airlow severityMixing or pouring without deaerationAir bubbles stay in the cured part. The datasheet calls for a vacuum of 25 mm (29 inches) of mercury minimum, and says deaeration after pouring may be needed in complex potted assemblies.
Poor adhesion to non-silicone surfacesmoderate severityBonding without a primerThe datasheet says RTV566 requires a primer to bond to non-silicone surfaces; it names SS4155 silicone primer.

Side effects on surrounding parts

Side effects on surrounding parts
AffectsEffect
Nearby optical surfaces, where the paper addresses photofixed films from outgassingHanrahan and Ianno (2014) analysed RTV566 among five spacecraft RTV silicones by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. They report that the outgassing products of each material are polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and tetra-n-propylsilicate (NPS).

Handling and storage

  • Mix 100 parts RTV566A with 0.1 part RTV566B curing agent by weight, in a container 4 to 5 times larger than the volume of the compound. Scrape the sides and bottom so the mix is homogeneous, and avoid high mixer speeds that entrap air or overheat the mix.
  • Deaerate the mixed compound under a vacuum of 25 mm (29 inches) of mercury minimum until the bubbles break and the compound settles back.
  • The compound cures enough for gentle handling after 24 hours at 25 °C and 50 % R.H. For best outgassing and adhesion, cure for 7 days at the same conditions.
  • For service above 150 °C (302 °F), condition the cured part first: 8 hours at 100 °C, then an extra 8 hours at each 28 °C (80 °F) step up to the service temperature. Larger or deeper parts need longer at each step.
  • Part A SDS handling advice: do not taste or swallow, avoid contact with eyes, skin and clothing, wash hands after handling, keep the container closed, and keep away from sources of ignition.

Mitigations

  • Clean non-silicone substrates with naphtha or methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and let them dry. Apply a uniform thin film of SS4155 primer, air dry it for one hour or more until a uniform chalky white haze shows, then apply freshly mixed RTV566.

Supply and geography

How common the raw materials are and where they come from.

Silicon (silicon metal, the feedstock for silicone polymers)

USGS: world and domestic resources for making silicon metal are abundant, and the source of the silicon is silica in natural forms such as quartzite.

Top producers (2025)
China 87%, Brazil 3.9%, Norway 2.8%, France 1.5%
Critical mineral lists
US: listed
Recycling
USGS: recycling of silicon is insignificant.
Substitutes
USGS: gallium arsenide and germanium are the principal substitutes for silicon in semiconductor and infrared applications; the chapter does not discuss silicone feedstock.

Updated