Like many specialist areas, silicone manufacturing has its own lexicon of key words and jargon that is useful to know. Becoming acquainted with this doesn’t just give the brain matter a work out but makes discussing all things related to silicone much easier.
The Basics
The term silicone refers to a particular group of polymers – a large molecule of repeating units – with a silicon and oxygen spine, and organic (in the chemical sense) groups bonded with the silicon. Silicone is versatile as it is stable and resistant to extreme temperatures and conditions. A silicone elastomer is made up of silicone polymers that have been cross-linked to give them an elastic quality. Silicone rubber is a silicone elastomer that is used in a variety of industries. It can also be used for home repairs in the form of a setting, mouldable rubber called Sugru. To learn more about Sugru, see this report from The Guardian.
Getting More Technical
Vulcanisation is the process by which polymers are cross-linked with heat to give them special properties and more durability. Compression set is the measurement of how well a silicone material can recover its original shape after being compressed. The more closely it returns to its original thickness, the more ability it has to resist being pushed out of shape by external forces.
Silicone material is a term that encompasses silicone rubber, sponge and sheeting. Silicone sheeting is produced by a process known as calendering. Silicone foam can also make sheets and gaskets that are used for sealing, insulating and protecting in many industries. Silicone hose is also used in many industries, including automotive, aeronautical and marine, where reliable high performance is required. If you want to find out more about quality silicone hose, it would be a good idea to get in touch with a reputable supplier such as https://www.goodflexrubber.com/pages/silicone-hose-manufacture.
Silicone has a wide variety of applications and can be engineered with a range of additives to exhibit many different and useful properties. It can even be cured with platinum or manufactured to high standards of purity for use in food industries. When produced to high specifications, silicone can be used for medical purposes, and its sterile, durable qualities make it an excellent choice when long-lasting materials that do not react or become contaminated easily are needed.
