Silicone Rubber Parts and Their Applications

Silicone rubber parts have an extensive range of applications. They can be colored or transparent, perform across a broad temperature spectrum and resist corrosion.

They can also be molded to meet industry tolerances for extruding, cutting and joining. This allows you to get a gasket or other part quickly and inexpensively.

Hardness

The hardness of silicone rubber is a physical property that determines how resistant it is to abrasion and cutting. It’s also a measurement of how willing the material is to plastic (permanent) deformation.

Silicone rubber is available in different types and can be molded into custom shapes for specific applications. These materials are non-toxic and can withstand temperature extremes, chemical damage and are electrically inert.

Low-viscosity liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is an excellent choice for manufacturing products with thin features, undercuts and small micro parts. This type of silicone is easy to process in high-cavitation molds and can be formulated with multiple hardness levels and color options.

Heat-cured rubber is a thermoset elastomer that’s cured with organic peroxide, platinum catalyst or a combination of both. It’s used for potting, sealants and encapsulations that Silicone rubber parts require superior temperature resistance and aging performance. Its mechanical properties are unaffected by ozone and have good heat stability. This type of silicone offers a tensile strength of over 1800 psi and is functional across a wide range of temperatures. It’s suitable for automotive and medical applications.

Temperature Resistance

The temperature resistance of silicone rubber is an important feature for many applications. It can maintain its physical and mechanical properties at temperatures from -60°C to 260°C (depending on the grade selected). This makes it ideal for use in environments where components need to withstand extreme conditions.

It also resists degradation from chemicals and environmental factors like UV radiation, ozone, and weathering, which can degrade other types of elastomers. This resistance makes it a good choice for use in harsh environments where parts are exposed to corrosive chemicals and environmental elements.

In addition to its temperature resistance, silicone rubber has excellent flexibility. It can withstand a tensile load up to 1500 PSI and an elongation of 700%. Additionally, it has low stress relaxation, meaning that it retains its shape when compressed for long periods of time and rebounds easily when released. This flexibility is used in products such as baby bottle nipples, medical catheters, and gaskets for industrial and automotive applications. It can also be moulded onto metals and plastics to make flexible hinges and soft grips.

Chemical Resistance

Chemical resistance is an important factor when choosing materials for electrical applications. The insulating properties of silicone rubber make it an ideal choice for cable accessories, such as caps and seals. It can withstand extreme environmental conditions such as temperature fluctuations and moisture, while maintaining its mechanical properties.

Silicones also resist the effects of corrosion and weathering. They aren’t affected by oxygen, ultraviolet light, corona discharge or cosmic radiation that can deteriorate other elastomers. They also have good resistance to chemicals like methyl and ethyl alcohols, mineral acids and some salt solutions.

When compounded with fillers, silicone rubber can become electrically conductive. This can be accomplished by using a combination of powdered fillers and carbon. Silicones that have been coated with this material can reduce surface leakage currents, dry band arcing and flashover. These characteristics help to increase the efficiency of electronic components and improve their performance. They are also safe for human use. This makes them an excellent option for a variety of medical applications. Moreover, silicone rubber can be molded into complex shapes that are hard to achieve with other materials.

Conductivity

Conductive silicone rubber is used in a variety of different applications. Its ability to transmit electrical signals more efficiently than other insulating materials makes it an excellent choice for high-tech applications that require fast communication between parts. It also has the potential to revolutionize medical devices, automotive electronics, and telecommunications equipment.

The conductive properties of silicone rubber can be improved by adding specific chemicals, known as conductive additives. Graphite, silver, and carbon black are some of the most common conductive additives. Silicone Rubber Parts – Supplier These chemicals change the chemical composition of the silicone, allowing electrons to move freely through it.

In addition to its electrical properties, conductive silicone rubber is also non-toxic and biocompatible. It can be used in medical devices that come into contact with living tissue, and it is a safer alternative to metals. It also has low flammability, making it an ideal material for fire-safety applications in hospitals, high-rise buildings, subway systems, and other public transportation.

Flexibility

Silicone rubber has a unique set of properties, which make it a mainstay in healthcare manufacturing, baby products, automotive component fabrication and electronics and consumer product manufacturing. These characteristics stem not from additives or surface treatments, but rather from the chemical makeup and structure of silicone itself.

This is what makes it a superior material for components that must hold up to harsh environmental conditions. Silicone is unaffected by UV rays, ozone and weathering, which degrade and weaken other elastomers.

Silicone is also one of the most flexible types of elastomer. This can be seen in the form of baby bottle nipples, medical catheters and seals, which have to stretch and conform to the shapes of containers and surfaces. It is also a good choice for electrical insulation. Non-dyed silicone tape with an iron oxide additive, for example, is used in aerospace wiring applications as insulating tape and splice wrap, because it is non-flammable, preventing runaway arcing. It can also be injection molded into voltage line insulators. This type of silicone is also resistant to high and low temperatures.