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Silicone rubber is a popular material used in both indoor and outdoor industrial, automotive, and residential settings due to its excellent environmental resistance properties, wide operating temperature range, and long-life. Silicone rubber sheeting is a highly durable material that is commonly used for applications that need enhanced resistance properties, such as extreme temperature resistance and environmental resistance. Silicone padding and a silicone rubber seal are common industrial rubber parts found in such settings because they can provide a long-lasting and safe application when faced with these damaging factors. Heavy duty silicone sheets can offer better protection against extreme temperatures, chemicals, and environmental factors.
Silicone CG Blue – 50A
Silicone CG Blue – 50A
- Excellent fungus resistance
- Can be exposed to UV and ozone
- Commercial grade silicone sheet with a smooth texture
- Custom fabrication into seals and gaskets available upon request
- Blue colored silicone is not a common color sheet good and can serve to identify parts based on their material makeup
Low Durometer Silicone: With a durometer rating of 50 Shore A, this silicone elastomer favors physical flexibility over durability. It is meant to be used in applications that call for more pliability from the rubber parts used in them. Thanks to the low durometer rating, this commercial grade silicone is easier to cut, manipulate, and fabricate than those of a higher durometer.
Chemical Resistance: In addition to being able to resist extreme temperature conditions, this silicone sheet material has a moderate degree of chemical resistance. This feature comes in handy in case this elastomer is being used in a laboratory setting or other areas with the presence of chemicals. Some examples of the chemicals that this low durometer silicone can endure are solutions of ammonia gas, acetic acid, vinegar, sodium sulfate, and more.
What is Silicone Rubber Used for?
Silicone rubber is used for applications in industrial, automotive, medical/food service, and residential environments. Silicone rubber sheeting has superior resistance properties against damaging environmental factors, extreme temperatures, and chemicals while also being a strong material with a high tensile strength. Silicone rubber sheeting is an inorganic polymer, meaning it retains a unique polymer backbone structure with unique silicon-to-oxygen bonds whereas organic polymers have a carbon-to-carbon bonded polymer backbone. This silicon-to-oxygen bonded polymer backbone gives the material superior resistance to UV rays, ozone, and extreme high and low temperatures (omnexus.specialchem.com). Silicone rubber sheeting is also highly resistant to caustic chemicals found in certain industries, such as industrial or automotive industries. Oftentimes, a silicone rubber seal or silicone padding, such as gaskets, are common products found in these settings due to its excellent resistance to harsh factors.
Silicone rubber sheeting is a popular material used for seals and gaskets as silicone rubber will remain durable in temperatures ranging from -103 to +500 degrees Fahrenheit. Silicone rubber sheeting is the ideal material to create rubber parts for use in industrial and automotive settings due to its excellent high temperature resistance, chemical resistance, and tear strength. Both industrial and automotive environments can expose rubber parts to extreme temperatures and caustic chemicals. Heavy duty silicone parts will resist tearing and will provide efficient padding or sealants for industrial machinery or equipment. There are three main types of silicone rubber sheeting: premium grade, commercial grade, and FDA grade. All three types of silicone will remain reliable in high temperature applications and will remain intact without melting; however, commercial grade silicone is only able to resist heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit whereas premium and FDA grade silicone can withstand higher temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. FDA grade silicone is made specifically for applications involved with materials intended for human consumption – i.e., the food industry or the medical field. An FDA approved silicone rubber sheeting must follow other specific guidelines found in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 12 (21 CFR 177.2600). Applications involving materials intended for human consumption often also involve high temperatures making silicone rubber sheeting the ideal for these applications as it can resist temperatures of up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Heavy duty silicone is a highly moisture resistant material that will prevent the leakage of wet precipitation in homes and vehicles. Additionally, due to its resistance to harmful environmental factors, silicone weatherstrips can provide long-lasting products that will last for years without losing functionality.
Silicone CG Brown – 50A
Silicone CG Brown – 50A
- Available in gauges of 1/32″, 1/16″, 1/8″, 1/4″
- Resistant to certain chemicals such as ammonia gas and sodium sulfate
- Can be made into custom seals and gaskets
- Brown color is unique and preferred in industries that require color identification of a sheet good
Survives Extreme Temperatures: Silicone rubber material is prized for being able to operate in temperatures that are well beyond normal. If you need cold or heat resistant products, then this commercial grade silicone is the right material for the job because it can endure temperatures ranging from -103 F to 450 F. Few other elastomers can match silicone when it comes to surviving in harsh temperatures.
50 Durometer Rubber: Durometer is the system of measurement that is use to determine how flexible a particular elastomer is. There are several different durometer ratings, such as 50, 60, 70, and 80. This brown colored silicone rubber sheet has a durometer rating of 50 Shore A. In the overall scale of durometer ratings, 50A is a lower end score that indicates a flexible rubber product. This silicone rubber material favors flexibility over physical durability, which is why it is recommended to use this in applications that do not involve physically demanding conditions.
Why is Silicone Used?
Silicone is used due to its excellent resistance against damaging environmental factors, extreme temperatures, high tensile strength, excellent chemical resistance, and different grades in which it is available. A silicone rubber sheet is a resilient material that is often used in harsh settings and environments involving extreme temperatures and caustic chemicals. A silicone rubber sheeting is offered in commercial, premium, and FDA grades and are each extremely durable materials. As high temperature rubber sheet, premium and FDA grade retain a slightly wider operating temperature range of -103 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit while, on the other hand, commercial grade silicone can only withstand temperatures of up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Silicone rubber sheeting is also highly resistant against UV rays, ozone, oxygen, and moisture, making it a versatile material that may be used both indoors and outdoors. Natural rubbers are highly susceptible to damage caused by exposure to ozone and UV rays and will become faded in color and will be susceptible to ozone cracking. Silicone high temperature rubber sheet will be able to resist these damaging environmental factors as well as extreme temperatures. Silicone rubber sheeting is also used due to its excellent abrasion resistance and high tear strength. Heavy duty silicone is offered in different durometers, or hardness, ranging from 40A to 70A, with the sheet becoming harder and thicker as the durometer rating rises higher.
Is Silicone Thermally Stable?
Silicone is a thermally stable material with an operating temperature range of -103 to +500 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to its thermal stability, silicone rubber sheeting remains flexible in low temperatures and will not melt when exposed to high temperatures. This high temperature rubber sheet will be able to retain its high tensile strength in these extreme temperatures. For instance, “The tensile strength versus temperature for several elastomers (Ref. 2, p. 29) shows that only silicone rubber retains appreciable tensile strength at temperatures above 250*C, compared to the following rubbers: butyl, natural, Hypalon, SBR, nitrile, polyacrylate, or neoprene” (apps.dtic.mil). A thermally stable silicone rubber seal, gasket, or other industrial rubber part can prove to be a long-lasting and safer alternative to products made of other rubber variations, such as natural rubber. Other rubber variations, both natural rubbers and synthetic rubbers, will be susceptible to embrittlement. Embrittlement “is the partial or complete loss of a material’s ductility, thus making it brittle. An embrittled product fails by fracture without deforming” (corrosiopedia.com). When exposed to extreme heat, natural rubbers will melt or become deformed whereas silicone rubber sheeting is able to remain ductile and functional. Due to its wide operational temperature range, silicone rubber is a thermally stable material that can be used over a large range of extreme temperatures.
What Happens if You Burn Silicone?
When you burn silicone, it will release some gases that are generally non-toxic; however, it is very hard to ignite. As a high temperature rubber sheet, silicone rubber sheeting has an excellent operating temperature range of -103 to +500 degrees Fahrenheit, making it extremely difficult to burn the material. For instance, “The ignition temperature of silicone is 842 degrees Fahrenheit…” (firefighterinsider.com). Due to its wide temperature resistance range, this high temperature rubber sheet remains a solid material without melting until it ignites. When silicone rubber sheeting ignites and burns, the byproduct that is created is silicon dioxide – which may have some minor health effects, such as eye irritation and respiratory problems – but it is considered safe to burn and generally nontoxic (firefighterinsider.com). This high level of heat resistance allows silicone to be used in food service industries as it will not leach toxic materials or chemicals into the application when heated.
Silicone CG Red/Orange – 50A
- Popular Silicone 50 Shore A
- Resistant to UV rays and ozone
- Exhibits a moderate level of chemical resistance
- Available for custom fabrication into seals and gaskets
- Rolls available in either 25ft or 50ft lengths depending on thickness
- This red silicone sheet rubber is available in a wide variety of thicknesses
High Temperature Sheet Material: This would not be a proper silicone sheet rubber if it were not able to endure harsh temperature conditions. You can expose this red silicone material to temperatures that reach as high as 450 F. At the same time, it is also able to operate in extremely cold temperatures, with a specific minimum temperature limit of -103 F.
50 Durometer Rubber: In order to help people determine how hard and physically durable an elastomer is against physical indentation, sheet rubber is often accompanied by a durometer rating. The higher the rating, the more resistant the body of the rubber will be against physically demanding objects. As this rating goes lower, the rubber becomes more flexible and pliable. A durometer rating of Silicone 50 shore indicates that the rubber is not that hard and is more pliable in nature. That is why we recommend this silicone 50 shore for commercial grade applications where physical properties are not crucial to have.
How Long Will Silicone Last?
Silicone is a highly resilient rubber material that will last for years in abrasive indoor and outdoor settings. Silicone rubber sheeting has a silicon-to-oxygen bonded polymer backbone structure allowing it to have excellent resistance to UV rays, ozone, oxygen, and moisture. Additionally, this high temperature rubber sheet has a wide operating temperature range of -103 to +500 degrees Fahrenheit allowing it to withstand harsh weather conditions where extreme temperatures can damage other materials. These two durable factors of silicone rubber make it extremely resilient and not easily broken down. For instance, “Since silicone doesn’t break down easily, if it’s not recycled, it will stay for hundreds of years on our planet, before it starts to break down” (almostzerowaste.com). Silicone rubber can break down; however, it will take some type of outside source, such as environmental exposure or temperatures higher than +500 degrees Fahrenheit. The life of silicone rubber depends on the environment it is used and, obviously, with more exposure to these damaging environmental factors and extreme temperatures, the faster the material will age.
Silicone rubber sheeting is a synthetic rubber material that can resist damage brought on by environmental factors, chemicals, extreme high and low temperature, and tearing. This high temperature rubber sheet can remain intact and functional in a wide temperature range of -103 to +500 degrees Fahrenheit. Silicone rubber sheeting is also highly tear resistant and will offer excellent padding in environments involving impacts and abrasions. Furthermore, silicone is resistant to environmental factors, such as UV rays and ozone, that can cause other materials to deteriorate and fade in color. Overall, silicone rubber sheeting can provide versatile and durable application in both indoor and outdoor industrial, automotive, and residential settings.
