What is Silicone
Silicone is a specialty, high-performance polymer material produced by reacting silicon with methyl chloride.
This reaction, after removing chlorine atoms, produces polymers that are resistant to temperature gradients, moisture, UV rays, chemicals, and others. They also can be made into solids and liquids, making available a wide range of high to low strength solids and viscous liquids.
Silicone additionally can be combined with more carbon atoms to manipulate its properties. In fact, if not for a few pitfalls, silicone could replace other carbon-based polymers.
The article will walk you through some of its industrial applications.
Uses
Aerospace
Silicone has proven to be reliable engineering polymers for Aerospace and Aviation as they can withstand extremely high stress and temperature loads. It is used in mainly in assembly and maintenance of aircrafts and spacecrafts.
Silicone-based adhesives and sealants are used to protect hatches, windows, wings, fuel tanks, hydraulic switches, overhead bins, wing tips and leading and trailing edges, landing gear devices, vent ducts, engine gaskets, electrical wires and black boxes.
Electronics
Silicone is a ground breaking engineering material used in computers, telecommunications and micro- and macro-electronics, and electrical power distribution.
Silicones can seal, bond and encapsulate highly sensitive circuits, microprocessors, semiconductors and much more, and protect them from heat, moisture, salt, corrosion, contamination and shock.
Silicone’s protective properties have made innovations in electronic and electronic devices, components, assemblies and systems, possible.
Health Care
Medical applications require high-quality and sterility. Silicone delivers exactly these as it is resistant to pathogens.
They are also biocompatible as they generally do not react with other organic or inorganic compounds. Due to this, silicones are used in making components for prosthetics.
They are also not known to trigger any allergies when infused intravenously due to their inertness.
Silicone is also used as a medical sealant for wounds.
Other healthcare applications include silicone tubing in drug delivery systems or heart pacemakers.
Paints & Coatings
Addition of silicone in paints and coatings extends the latter’s life as it provides resistance against sun rays, salt, pollution and moisture. Paints made with silicones have exceptional adhesion and pigment dispersion, and chemical, weather and stain resistance.
The latest improvements in the engineering polymer involve making it withstand freeze and thaw cycles without cracking, chalking, peeling or blistering. They will also not corrode in contact with oil, gasoline or other petrochemical products, making them ideal for use in offshore Oil & Gas and allied industries.
Paper and Film
In pulp and paper processing, silicone is used as an outstanding foam control material, enabling expeditious manufacturing of bulk quantities of product.
Other applications of silicone in paper & pulp include paper recycling and pressure-sensitive industrial adhesives.