Silicone Rubber Parts and Seals

Silicone rubber parts and seals can withstand a wide range of conditions. This includes resistance to extreme temperatures, harmful chemicals, electrical effects and UV rays.

Its tensile strength can withstand 200-1500 PSI and its elongation can stretch up to 700%. It also features low rotation barriers, allowing it to bend, twist and compress with minimal deformation.

Durability

Silicone rubber is extremely durable, making it an ideal material for a variety of applications. Its resistance to degradation and wear makes it an excellent alternative to other materials, such as thermoplastic elastomers, which are susceptible to temperature fluctuations and can distort or lose shape under high heat.

Whether in the form of O-rings, extruded profiles or specialized bellows, silicone rubber is capable of handling a range of pressures and temperatures, which contributes to their longevity. By reducing areas of stress concentration and incorporating strain relief features, such as curves instead of sharp corners, manufacturers can further extend the lifespan of their components.

Regular inspections of silicone rubber parts can help identify warning signs that indicate degradation, such as surface cracks or changes in flexibility. This information can then be used to implement protective measures, such as coatings or physical barriers, that safeguard the material from UV radiation, ozone, mild acids and other harmful agents. In addition to enhancing the durability of your products, these preventative measures can also reduce maintenance costs.

Temperature Resistance

Silicone has a high thermal resistance, meaning that it resists heat well. It can withstand extreme temperatures without compromising its properties and structural integrity, so it is an excellent choice for applications in hot environments.

For example, silicone does not melt in boiling water. It can also withstand very cold environments, making it suitable for many household products such as baby bottle nipples and silicone baking pans. Other common household products that are made from silicone include cases for electronics, medical devices and power generation equipment.

Compared to other rubbers, silicone is more expensive because it requires several steps to produce, including refining silica from raw materials and then processing it into various shapes and sizes. It can be molded into tubes, strips and solid cords or extruded into custom profiles for specific size specifications.

In addition to high-temperature resistance, silicone can also withstand electrical insulation and chemical resistance. Its low porosity makes it a safe material for Silicone rubber parts use in medical equipment and aerospace products that require a durable seal to transport fluids and other materials.

Flexibility

Silicone rubbers have a high degree of flexibility, which means they can bend and stretch without deforming or becoming permanently deformed. This makes them an ideal material for a variety of applications, including insulating electrical wires and devices; tubing and coatings; adhesives; food and medical products and in-home hardware.

In addition to being flexible, silicone rubber is also highly resistant to abrasions and impact damage. Silicone can also withstand high temperatures, and is steam-resistant, making it a great choice for manufacturing kitchen equipment and healthcare tools.

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is a platinum-cured raw material that can be injected into molds or applied as a coating. It has a high fluidity, which allows for capturing precise details in injection-molded parts or conforming to any surface shape as a liquid sealant.

Xometry works with a variety of materials, including silicone rubbers and flexible polyurethanes, to produce custom molded components. Contact a representative to discuss your project and learn more about how to select the best materials and manufacturing techniques for your application. You can also use our quoting tool to get started.

Biocompatibility

Silicone rubber’s biocompatibility and stability when implanted within the body for short or long-term use makes it a favorite for many medical devices. It resists water, Silicone rubber parts heat, oxygen, and chemical exposure and is able to maintain its flexibility at a wide range of temperatures.

While 3D-printed silicone-like polymers and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are often used as alternatives to LSR, they don’t offer the same level of flexibility or biocompatibility that medical-grade silicone offers. These materials are prone to cracking and abrasion, while silicone is impervious to these damaging properties.

Medical-grade silicone, also known as medical-healthcare grade or class VI silicone, must be cured with a platinum catalyst in order to be safe for use on and around the human body. It must also be able to withstand sterilization processes such as autoclaving, gamma radiation, E-beam, and EtO — ethylene oxide. It is possible to sterilize non-medical silicone parts using hydrogen peroxide and high temperatures, but this can damage their structural integrity. Using a platinum catalyst eliminates these harmful byproducts and allows medical-grade silicone to withstand sterilization methods that other silicone products can’t.

Customization

Silicone rubber is a very chemically inert material, and it’s rare for someone to have an allergic reaction to handling it. Because of this, silicone rubber is commonly used in food and beverage containers and utensils like stirring spoons (as long as they’re not heated too high) and other kitchenware products. It’s also used in medical equipment and household items, including nonstick bakeware, baby bibs, teethers, pacifiers, and toys.

For more industrial applications, silicone is used in aerospace insulating and sealing materials. It’s also an excellent choice for automotive parts, thanks to its weather resistance and heat-curable nature. Construction uses silicone rubber in adhesives, sealants, coatings and lubricants, and high-thickness varieties are used for insulating tubing.

Liquid silicone rubber (LSR) is the type most often used for injection molding, allowing designers to create complex and accurate part shapes. It’s typically cured by heating it with organic peroxides or platinum catalysts. This process is also used to make insulating hoses, gaskets and diffusers. Bellows are another popular product made from silicone rubber, and they can be molded into custom shapes or shaped as solid cord or extruded profiles to meet the size specifications of an application.