Silicone rubber is versatile because of its flexibility and biocompatibility. It also resists radiation and UV light.
Its unique properties make this a valuable component in the aerospace, medical and electrical industries for a wide range of components, including tubing, washers and gaskets.
Elastostar Rubber Corporation manufactures rubber products made from a variety of quality rubber materials, including silicone rubber.
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Why Silicone Rubber?
Silicone rubber is one of the most popular synthetic rubbers on the mark. It is composed of silicone, which has been cross-linked with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen to make cross-linked, silica-reinforced polymers.
Silicone rubber offers distinct advantages over other elastomers, including:
- Environmental Resistance: Silicone rubber is resistant to extreme environmental factors such as UV radiation, open flames, extreme temperatures, and corrosive chemicals.
- Thermal Stability: Silicone rubber will not crack or shrink in extreme temperatures.
- Moisture Sealant: Silicone rubber is water-repellent and malleable, making it an excellent sealant.
- Highly Versatile: Silicone rubber is flexible enough to be molded and shaped to any specifications. You can adjust the formulation to increase or decrease specific characteristics such as flexibility, electrical conductivity, toughness, and flexibility.
- Easy Sterilization: Silicone rubber is a medical-grade material that can withstand extreme temperatures, harsh chemicals and radiation. Exposure is required using FDA-regulated sterilization techniques, making it a valuable material for medical use.
- Colour Friendly: Silicone rubber can be coloured before curing, which gives it a vivid, long-lasting colour.
- Electrical Properties: Silicone rubber is an excellent electrical insulator. However, adding metal or black can enhance its conductive properties.
- Range of Hardness: Silicone rubber can be made to have different levels of flexibility and hardness depending on the purpose of the application.
- Durable and Reliable: Silicone is extremely durable and can retain its form and flexibility even in extreme conditions. This makes it an ideal material for critical applications.
Silicone rubber is a widely-used material because of its adaptability to almost any application.
Properties of Silicone Rubber
Silicone rubber exhibits unique physical, mechanical, and chemical properties that enhance its usefulness, including:
- Flame Retardant: Silicone rubber exhibits high thermal stability.
- Steam Resistant: High thermal stability of silicone rubber allows it to keep its form and consistency even under high-temperature steam.
- Food-grade and Medical-grade Ratings: Silicone rubber resists chemicals, heat, and radiation used to sterilize food processing equipment and medical equipment. This makes it a good choice for both food-grade materials and medical-grade materials.
- Excellent Compression Set: Silicone rubber has a high compression set and will maintain its shape even under extreme temperature and repeated compression.
- UV and Radiation Resistance: silicone rubber will not deteriorate with prolonged or repeated exposure to UV or any other radiation.
- Rebound and Resilience: Silicone rubber, depending on its composition, is very flexible. It will return to its original form and configuration after being flexed or bent.
- Metal Adhesion: The silicone rubber exhibits excellent adhesion with metals, especially during molding and extrusion processes.
- High Tensile Strength: The tensile strength of silicone rubber varies depending on its formulation and manufacturing process.
- Chemically and Biologically inert: Silicone rubber reacts very well to very few biological or chemical agents.
Because of its high resistance, physical resilience, and durability, silicone rubber is ideal for molding rubber components in a wide range of environments and temperatures.
Custom Silicone Seals from Elastostar
Elastostar is proud to offer the highest quality components and rubber parts in the industry. We have been a trusted manufacturer of custom and stock tubing and sealing parts for the food, medical and dental industries.
Our advanced facilities and experienced experts can create FDA medical-, medical and surgical-grade tubing and other top-quality products made of various rubber-based materials, including silicon rubber. To find out more about our top Silicone Rubber products and solutions, please get in touch with us now or request a quote today.
