Vehicles
Ever wonder what things are actually made of? Silicone is an incredibly clever rubber and you’d be amazed at just how many uses it has. In the world of automobiles, silicone is typically used as a grease or lubricant for brake components since it is stable at high temperatures, is not water-soluble, and is far less likely than other lubricants to attract dirt and grime. Sheet silicone is used to manufacture the gaskets found in automobile engines and transmissions. You’ll also find silicone being used to insulate spark plugs in multiple layers, to prevent sparks from jumping to adjacent wires and causing misfires. Silicone tubing is sometimes used in automotive intake systems.
Airbags use silicone compounds for coating and sealant. Silicone rubber is extremely strong which makes it an excellent adhesive/sealant for high impact airbags. Recent technological advancements allow convenient use of silicone in combination with thermoplastics to provide improvements in scratch resistance too. For Silicone Hose Manufacturers, visit https://www.goodflexrubber.com/pages/silicone-hose-manufacturer
Cookware
Silicone can also be used in direct contact with food. It is a non-toxic and low-taint material which is particularly popular for use in bakeware and kitchen utensils. You can use silicone products for potholders as it works as an insulator and heat resistant material. Silicone oven gloves are capable of being immersed in boiling water and protecting skin. You’ll also find it being used as moulds for cooking muffins, biscuits and many other foods. Other kitchen ware includes egg poachers and boilers, steamers and kitchen mats.
Electronics
Electronic components are often covered in silicone to increase stability against mechanical and electrical shock, radiation and vibration, in a process called “potting”. Silicones are used where durability and high performance are demanded of components under hard conditions, such as in space (satellite technology). Silicones also have the advantage of little exothermic heat rise during cure, low toxicity, good electrical properties and high purity.
Dry cleaning
You may not realise that silicone is also used in the dry cleaning process. Liquid silicone can be used as a dry cleaning solvent, providing an alternative to the traditional chlorine-containing solvent. Use of silicones in dry cleaning reduces the environmental impact of a what is otherwise a high-polluting industry.
Toys
You’ll also find silicones in a range of toys, for example Silly Putty and similar materials are composed of silicones dimethyl siloxane, polydimethylsiloxane, and decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane, along with other ingredients. This substance is noted for its unusual characteristics – it bounces, but breaks when given a sharp blow; it can also flow like a liquid and will form a puddle given enough time.
Silicone rubber bands are a popular replacement for real rubber bands in the recent craze for ‘loom bands’. Silicone bands also come in bracelet sizes that can be custom embossed with a name or message and our popular with charitable organisations.
Formerol is a silicone rubber used as an arts-and-crafts material, as its plasticity allows it to be easily moulded by hand like modelling clay. It hardens at room temperature and it is adhesive to various substances including glass and aluminium.
