Silicone rubber is a vital engineering material across various industries thanks to its heat resistance, electrical insulation, and long-term durability. In the article below, Thai Duong Plastics provides a comprehensive overview of silicone’s properties, applications, and key considerations for using this versatile material.
Introduction to Silicone Rubber
Silicone rubber is a synthetic elastomer composed of silicon and oxygen atoms, combined with carbon and hydrogen. It is known for its robust molecular chain structure, allowing it to maintain dimensional stability even under high temperatures or harsh environmental conditions.
Unlike traditional organic rubbers, silicone offers exceptional aging resistance and easily adapts to various working environments. Its inertness-meaning it does not react with most polar chemicals and is unaffected by UV light or ozone-makes it ideal for applications requiring long-term stability and high safety.
Is Silicone a Plastic or a Synthetic Rubber?
Silicone is not a plastic. In fact, it is a synthetic rubber produced from silicon-based polymers. Depending on the manufacturing process, silicone can exist in various forms such as liquid, gel, resin, or elastic rubber. In industrial settings, silicone rubber is the most common form, widely used as a technical material for its high heat resistance and elasticity.
The key difference between silicone and plastic lies in molecular structure and environmental resilience. Silicone has a backbone of silicon and oxygen atoms, providing superior oxidation resistance and thermal stability-qualities that most ordinary plastics cannot match.
Outstanding Properties of Silicone
Silicone rubber boasts numerous technical advantages that increase its reliability in demanding applications:
- Wide temperature resistance: Performs effectively from -60°C up to over 300°C without losing elasticity.
- Consistent electrical insulation: Remains non-conductive even in humid environments or when thermally degraded.
- UV and ozone resistance: Does not age when used outdoors or in reactive oxygen environments.
- Low toxic gas emission: When exposed to fire or high heat, silicone produces minimal toxic fumes, unlike many organic materials.
- Waterproof and resistant to polar chemicals: Durable in diluted acids, mild alkalis, alcohols, glycols, and similar environments.
Technical Specifications of Silicone Rubber
Silicone is available in a range of technical specifications to suit different applications. Basic parameters include:
- Hardness from 30 to 90 Shore A.
- Tensile strength from 4 to 16 MPa.
- Elongation at break from 200% to 450%.
- Tear strength usually above 20 N/mm.
- Average density of 1.2 g/cm³.
These figures can be adjusted through formulation and selection of the appropriate curing system. Strict control of the production process is essential to ensure consistent product quality that meets industry-specific standards.
Applications of Silicone and Custom Processing Capabilities
Silicone rubber is widely used in numerous industries due to its heat resistance, anti-aging properties, and electrical insulation. Common applications include:
- In healthcare, silicone is used to manufacture tubing, baby bottle nipples, implants, and disposable medical devices.
- In food and household industries, it is often used for baking molds, kitchen utensils, knives, cutting boards, cake molds, toys, and products that come into direct contact with food due to its inertness and chemical safety.
- In the electrical industry, silicone acts as an insulator for cables, control devices, and heat-resistant components.
- In automotive and aerospace sectors, silicone rubber is used for gaskets, anti-vibration pads, and high-temperature resistant parts.
- Additionally, silicone is found in sports gear and a variety of other consumer products.
Thanks to its high customizability, silicone rubber can be processed using methods like molding, extrusion, and casting according to specific technical drawings and requirements. Thai Duong Plastics offers custom silicone rubber processing with complete quality control at every stage.
Some Limitations and Notes When Using Silicone Rubber
Along with its outstanding benefits, silicone rubber also has several limitations to consider. Its production and processing costs are typically higher than standard rubbers, largely due to complex synthesis procedures and strict input quality requirements.
Additionally, silicone’s recyclability is still limited. Used silicone is mainly reused in industry as filler or silicone oil, rather than being reformed into new products like thermoplastics.
Certain types of silicone are prone to attracting dust or absorbing impurities without proper surface coatings, making cleaning difficult. This material is also unsuitable for environments containing petroleum, gasoline, or non-polar hydrocarbons due to the risk of swelling and reduced durability. Therefore, it is essential to determine the exact working conditions and select the appropriate type of silicone for each application.
We hope this article has provided a clearer understanding of the nature, characteristics, and applications of silicone rubber in engineering and industrial fields. If you need a material with high heat resistance, excellent insulation, and long-term stability, silicone is a highly recommended choice.