Performance determines use

The market for silicone is not a single market, but thousands of niche markets that span many industries, disciplines, and functions. The following is an example of a particular application of silicone, which may be described as a versatile material.

One of the first applications was during world war ii, when the silicone rubber gasket was used on the b-29's searchlight and supercharger 3 in 1943. No other material can withstand such extreme temperatures. In the late 1940s, this primary use spawned an industry. Industrial gaskets and sealants, along with some applications of high temperature rubber, have led to explosive growth in the market. It quickly expanded into the automotive, aerospace and professional markets. By this time, the hot vulcanized silicone rubber industry had been established.

Before 1947, silicon defoaming agents had been used in industry. Based on very low surface tension, they quickly remove foam. By the 1950s, liquid silicones with foam-inhibiting properties were used in polyurethane products that produced a uniform foam structure.

In 1948, the first polysilicon-oxygen emulsion was developed and based on silicon stripper for modern tire moulds. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a natural anti - sticking agent with a very similar function to the release agent. At the same time, silicone oil automotive wax and furniture polish is widely used. In addition, for stone and textiles will have a unique water resistance

3.RTV silicone is the first silicone rubber product to be accepted by the mass market. It has been widely used since it was introduced in 1960. Silicone is considered superior to other sealants because of its resistance to extreme temperatures and its ability to adhere to a variety of matrix materials without a base coat. They can also be used in the construction, glass assembly, pharmaceutical, aerospace, manufacturing, electrical, electronic and automotive markets. Today, the largest consumption of silicone is in the building materials industry.






Room-temperature vulcanized (RTV) silicone sealants for filling are widely used in automotive fluid sealants due to their ability to withstand high temperatures in a variety of conditions. Silicone is the only elastomer capable of maintaining good flexibility at -45°C and is therefore used in the refrigeration industry. This ability also allows silicone to be used in aerospace applications. The only elastomer that remains flexible at low temperatures, silicone on astronauts' lunar boots was the first material to touch the moon in 1969. In addition to its flexibility at low temperatures, the silicone's ability to resist ultraviolet light has led to applications on satellites and spacecraft.






In the field of electronic sealants, such as some mobile phones, silicone gels have a moisture-proof, dust-proof and water-proof seal, and can be used as mechanical shock/shock absorbers, as well as electrical insulation. Their low modulus and high stress dissipation capacity produce internal shock damping that determines their use. In addition to high corona resistance and resistance to high voltage ionization, silicone is a very good electrical material and insulation material. Therefore, silicone can be used in many high voltage electronic and electrical fields. Wire insulation and cable terminals are also typical silicon rubber applications. In those areas, they can include more than 90% of the current standard size of organic cable stock 3. And when the insulated wire is ignited, the external thermoelectric insulation will form ash, thus maintaining the running capacity 2.






The thermal insulation of the silicone also upgrades the top of the section of the extreme heat platform to the wooden shelf counter. In addition, the characteristic data of silicone rubber can also be used in the field of heat conduction, such as speaker and laptop radiator. Conductive parameters can be applied to touch screens, EMI and rf interface devices. Other characteristic values can be described as flame retardancy.






For more than 40 years, all glass aquariums have been assembled and sealed with room temperature solidified (RTV) silicone due to their long-term water resistance and excellent glass bonding properties. Another unique use of the newly produced RTV silicone is the permanent trouser leg seam.






PDMS have a high free volume, resulting in the silicone's special atomic spacing, which makes the polymer highly permeable to gases and liquids. Quite unique medical applications resulting from these functions include:






Incompatible materials, such as pharmaceuticals, can be added to silicone pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) repair materials. The drug is placed in a free space inside the silicone matrix. The rate is controlled by the silica matrix (e.g., filler class, type, additional additives, and cross-linking density), and the drug is released at a designed rate. The drug slowly seeps out of the silicone matrix and is absorbed by the skin. Drug delivery systems are a relatively new field that can be applied to anything from vitamins and nitroglycerin-like drugs to antibiotics.






The gas permeability of unpacked silicone rubber is 4 times higher than that of natural rubber. Based on the high permeability of oxygen, the oxygen concentrator runs through a silicone membrane. They can raise the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere around us from 20.9 percent to 40 percent, feeding patients continuously. These oxygen cylinders are very effective and are widely used in patients with respiratory damage.