Silicone rubber sponge composition and sponge articles therefrom

A silicone rubber sponge article comprising the reaction product of a composition comprising

• (A) 100 parts by weight of an organopolysiloxane gum described by average structural unit RaSiO(4−a)/2, where R is a monovalent hydrocarbon radical or haloalkyl and a is 1.95 to 2.05,
• (B) 1 to 400 parts by weight of an inorganic filler,
• (C) 0.01 to 50 parts by weight hollow thermoplastic resin particles
• (D) a mixture of (a) water-soluble silicone and (b) water in an amount such that the water in the mixture is equivalent to 0.01 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of component (A), and
• (E) a curing agent in an amount sufficient to cure the composition.

A process for preparing a silicone rubber sponge article comprising curing a composition comprising

• (A) 100 parts by weight of an organopolysiloxane gum described by average structural unit RaSiO(4−a)/2, where R is a monovalent hydrocarbon radical or haloalkyl and a is 1.95 to 2.05,
• (B) 1 to 400 parts by weight of an inorganic filler,
• (C) 0.01 to 50 parts by weight hollow thermoplastic resin particles
• (D) a mixture of (a) water-soluble silicone and (b) water in an amount such that the water in the mixture is equivalent to 0.01 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of component (A), and
• (E) a curing agent in an amount sufficient to cure the composition,by heating at a temperature equal to or above the softening point of component (C).