Synthetic elastomers are oftentimes produced with specific applications in mind. Because they are artificially-made, they can be tailored to have certain characteristics that make them unique from other forms of rubbers. While there are many rubbers available for use, the ubiquitous presence of silicone rubber in our daily lives is a testament to the value of its physical and chemical properties. Silicones are a group of elastomeric materials made from silicon, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon.

This rubber stands out from other types of rubber because of its ability to maintain stability throughout a wide temperature range that extends into the extremes. The rubber has a low toxicity, odor and taste, which also set it apart from other synthetic rubber materials. Silicone has a low compression set, excellent flexibility and resilience to damage resulting from ozone, UV rays and weathering. These qualities are what ultimately brought about the rise of the many numerous silicone rubber applications, many of which are derived from a silicone sheet, which require custom cutting.

Silicone – Commercial Grade Black – 50A – 1/8″ x 36″

Silicone – Commercial Grade Black – 50A – 1/8″ x 36″

• A hard to find black silicone sheet rubber
• Resistant to fungus and some chemicals
• This black silicone material can resist UV and ozone

Flexible Rubber Sheet: This silicone (50 Durometer) elastomer is well suited for use in applications that require a more flexible material instead of a rigid one. A low durometer rating indicates that the rubber is less resistant to physical indentation, but much more pliable for the purposes of flexibility. Additionally, a lower durometer elastomer is less dense and more pliable that has a high durometer.

High Temperature Material: Silicone rubber is the go-to elastomer for any applications that involve extreme temperatures. This particular black silicone sheet has an operating temperature range of -103 F to 450 F. You can employ this flexible silicone sheet in very cold settings and very hot settings without having to worry about it suffering from immediate damage.

Custom Fabrication Available: In case you want this high temperature material in a customized form, these silicone 50 durometer sheets can be fabricated according to your specifications. Due to the low durometer rating of this elastomer that favors pliability, it can easily be cut by hand. Other fabrication methods are available upon request, such as laser, die, and water-jet cutting.

Despite its plethora of strengths, silicone rubber isn’t suitable for every application out there. Again, synthetic elastomers are specifically designed to have unique qualities which will make them useful for specific tasks. While silicone rubber has many desirable characteristics, the trade-off is that there are some weaknesses which make it unsuitable for certain uses. For example, two of the more significant weaknesses of the product are its low tensile strength and its vulnerability to abrasions.

Furthermore, it is important to consider cost when obtaining something such as a silicone sheet. Generally, the product is costlier to produce, resulting in increased prices. But the cost of it is easily forgivable when one considers how useful this rubber is for a wide array of industries. The following is a short but helpful list of some of the most common and most important silicone rubber applications:

• Gaskets and seals: Gaskets and seals are used in between mechanical parts and to prevent leaks Rubber is generally a good gasket and seal material because of its compressibility, flexibility, and its resistance to many liquids. Silicone is particularly an effective material due to its ability to withstand a wide range of temperatures and its resilience to chemicals. It’s important to note that the elastomer should only be used for static gasket and seal applications. In a dynamic seal application, the rubber may tear and be easily damaged.

 Order Custom Fabricated Rubber Parts

Custom Fabricated Rubber Parts

• Electrical insulation: In the 1930s, chemists at Corning Glass conducted experiments in the search of electrical insulation materials. Silicone was the end result of their research. The elastomer’s ability to retain its stability and perform in very high temperatures suits silicone for most electrical applications. In general, rubber products are poor conductors of electricity, but silicone excels at keeping electric charges from traveling.

• Medical devices: The low toxicity of the rubber and its chemical inertness allow the rubber to be used in medical applications. The elastomer is easy to mold, very flexible and is available in translucent forms for monitoring purposes. Tubing for dialysis equipment, catheters and baby bottle nipples are all made of silicone. Even the breast implant envelope that holds the silicone gel is made of silicone rubber!

The three silicone rubber applications above are the more significant applications of the synthetic elastomer, yet by no means is silicone limited to such applications. Many of these applications use a silicone sheet which can be cut in a number of different ways to form many specialized products. The rubber can be found in the form of a durable, gelatinous cell phone case. It is also starting to pick up steam in the cooking and baking utensils industry where people are buying silicone products for their high temperature tolerance. When considering silicone rubber, cost must be factored in as it is one of the more costly synthetic elastomers; however, if your application is appropriate, the elastomer promises to perform precisely to your expectations.

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