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Silicone sheeting is best known for being the ultimate heat resistant elastomer compared to other natural and synthetic variations. Silicone products are the ideal heat resistant materials for use in high temperatures. Not only is silicone sheeting resistant to extreme heat, but it is also resistant to cold temperatures and damaging environmental factors, such as UV rays, ozone, and oxygen, as well. Silicone is able to withstand temperatures as high as +500 degrees Fahrenheit and as cold as -130 degrees Fahrenheit without degrading or becoming brittle and remaining a flexible elastomer. Silicone sheeting is the most reliable elastomer for use in abrasive temperatures and in harsh outdoor environments due to its environmental resistance properties and flexibility in extreme temperatures.
Silicone – Premium Grade – Black – 60A
What Temperature Can You Use Silicone?
Silicone is the ideal material for use in abrasive temperatures due to its wide operating temperature range of -130 to +500 degrees Fahrenheit. Silicone sheeting is the best material to use in abrasive temperatures because it is able to retain its flexibility and other properties even when exposed to such extreme temperatures. More specifically, “Some properties such as elongations, creep, cyclic flexing, tear strength, compression set, dielectric strength (at high voltage), thermal conductivity, fire resistance and in some cases tensile strength can be – at extreme temperatures – far superior to organic rubbers in general…” (Wikipedia.org). This thermal stability allows silicone products to be used in extreme environments of high and low temperatures. The temperature range of silicone sheeting can be attributed to the chemical makeup of the elastomer. Silicone sheetingis “composed of silicone (polymer) containing silicone together with other molecule like carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Its structure always comprises siloxane backbone (silicon-oxygen chain) and an organic moiety bound to the silicone” (omnexus.specialchem.com). The silicon-oxygen bond of the elastomer, in particular, gives these heat resistant materials their excellent operating temperature range. Case in point, “As compared to organic rubber, silicone rubber has Si-O bond in its structure, and hence, it has better: heat resistance, chemical stability, electrical insulation, abrasion resistance, weatherability as well as ozone resistance” (omnexus.specialchem.com). Silicone products, both industrial and food grade, are heat resistant materials which, in turn, offers longer life in an application and slows down their rate of aging. Heat, along with a variety of other factors, including environmental, play a large role in the degradation of elastomers. For instance, “The degradation of polymers can be induced by: Heat (thermal degradation), Oxygen (oxidative and thermal-oxidative degradation), Light (photodegradation), Weathering (generally UV/ozone degradation) …” (polymerdatabase.com). The Si-O bond that makes up the structure of silicone sheeting not only gives the material excellent resistance to heat, but it also resists degradation cause by damaging environmental factors as well, making it the perfect material for use in extreme temperatures or outdoor settings.
Does Silicone Withstand Heat?
Silicone is able to withstand heat very well and can stand up well against high temperatures of up to +500 degrees Fahrenheit. Silicone sheeting is actually known for being the most resilient of all heat resistant materials, making it the ideal material for “applications exceeding working temperature above 100°C [212°F] (which most rubbers cannot withstand).” Due to its excellent heat resistance, silicone sheeting is a common material used in the automotive industry. A few common applications for silicone products in the automotive industry include “sealants, gaskets, connectors, spark plug tires, radiators, heat exchangers, water-pump gaskets, engine covers, valve covers…” Silicone weatherstripping is an extremely resilient product that is highly resistant to UV radiation, oxygen, ozone, and direct sunlight, allowing it to provide a long-lasting protection against harsh weather conditions. This allows silicone products to provide durable applications in vehicles as they are constantly exposed to the outdoors. Some common electrical applications silicone rubber is used for are “cable terminations, connectors, insulators, parts for energy transmission, engine gaskets, control unit gaskets…”. Silicone products are able to provide long-lasting applications in abrasively hot temperatures because they have excellent resistance to oxidative and non-oxidative thermal degradation thanks to silicone’s stable saturated polymer backbone.
Silicone CG White – 50A
- White silicone sheet rubber features a smooth surface texture
- Has a good level of resistance against fungus
- Can be used outdoors thanks to durability against UV and ozone
Non-Marking, Professional Aesthetic: While other rubbers often come in a standard black, we offer a white colored alternative. White nitrile is meant to give an application a sleek, modern, and professional appearance while functioning the way a proper nitrile elastomer is supposed to. Even more importantly, a white elastomer is a non-marking material that will not leave any marks or stains on the objects it comes into contact with. The white colored nitrile is suitable for use in cosmetics, grocery stores, and medical applications where white is better suited for aesthetics than black.
Oil-Resistant Rubber: Nitrile, or Buna-N rubber as it was originally known, was developed to be an oil-resistant alternative to natural rubber back in the years after World War I. Nitrile material is still used today whenever good oil and grease resistance is needed. White nitrile can resist organic and synthetic oils. While other types of elastomers can degrade when exposed to oils and greases, nitrile rubber can keep its form and integrity, making sure that it does its part to keep your application functioning.
Silicone CG Gray – 50A
Can Silicone Melt in Boiling Water?
Silicone cannot melt in boiling water because the boiling point of water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit whereas silicone rubber is capable of withstanding temperatures of up to +500 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to this, silicone sheeting is a common material used in the production of food grade products. For instance, “Silicone has its high heat bearing capacity and does not easily melt…the boiling point of water is 100 degrees Celsius [212 degrees Fahrenheit]. So, if we place silicone in the boiling water, there will be no effect on the silicone material. Silicone can very easily withstand the boiling water for even an infinite period of time” (techiescientist.com). Silicone products are very difficult to melt or burn due to its high operating temperature range. In addition, going hand-in-hand with its resistance to melting, silicone sheeting is also extremely hard to ignite into flames. For example, “Silicone is difficult to ignite, and when it does burn, it burns to a non-conductive ash. While burning, silicone does not give off toxic materials” (expandusceramics.com). Silicone does not melt easily and is able to provide a reliable and long-lasting applications in abrasively hot temperatures making silicone sheeting the ideal rood safe material for use in applications directly involved with human consumption. In addition, if silicone does happen to burn, it will not emit any toxic fumes or chemicals further making it a safe material that can even be used for food grade applications.
Can You Use Silicone in Cold Weather?
Silicone can be used in cold weather due to its excellent low temperature flexibility and resistance to damaging environmental factors. Silicone sheeting is able to stay flexible at low temperatures due to its temperature stability and will not harden as most rubbers tend to do when exposed to cold temperatures. In addition, silicone products remain “flexible at low temperatures due to their low glass transition temperature (Tg).” Glass transition temperature, or Tg, refers to the temperature at which the structure of the polymer becomes harder and more brittle, which, in silicone, usually occurs as temperatures rise; however, because the Tg for silicone sheeting is so low, it is able to remain flexible at lower temperatures. Due to its low temperature flexibility, a silicone seal is often used in weather sealing applications as it will not become brittle or crack when exposed to abrasively cold temperatures. A silicone seal is able to retain excellent mechanical properties, such as high tear strength and high elongation. Normally, “elongation break increases with an increase in temperature”; however, silicone sheeting has a wide operating temperature range that covers both extreme lows and extreme highs A silicone seal will provide a long-lasting application in cold weather conditions without losing its elasticity, breaking, or cracking.
Silicone CG Red/Orange – 70A
- Comes in a red/orange color
- Good resistance to materials like fungus
- Also available in lower durometer options
- Hard silicone rubber with a smooth surface texture
Hard Silicone Rubber: A rating of 70A indicates one of our most durable elastomers in stock. It is very important for to have a longer lasting wear part, even for the more commercial mid-grade types of applications. Solid silicone fights permanent physical indentation better than softer versions of this product. This hard silicone rubber’s durability can also be enhanced by the material’s thickness gauges, which come in options ranging from 1/16″ to 3/8″. Please keep in mind that this material is not recommended if you are looking for sheet rubber with good flexibility.
High Temperature Materials: Silicone is known to be one of the most heat resistant elastomers currently available. People regularly employ silicone for a wide range of heat related applications, such as laboratory and automotive activity. This sheet silicone rubber can withstand temperatures reaching up to 450 F. At the same time, these high temperature materials are also comfortable in cold settings, specifically to -103 F.
Silicone CG Brown – 50A
Does Silicone Work in Cold Weather?
Silicone works in cold weather due to its low temperature flexibility as well as its excellent resistance to damaging environmental factors. Silicone products are able to work in temperatures as low as -130 degrees Fahrenheit without hardening and cracking making silicone weatherstripping a popular choice in material for outdoor sealing applications. Its low temperature resistance along with its resistance to outdoor environmental factors, such as UV rays, ozone, and oxygen, allows silicone weatherstripping products to provide unfailing and reliable applications in cold weather. Further adding to its resilience, silicone sheeting is resistant to embrittlement and cracking caused by ozone. Embrittlement can be described as “any phenomena where the environment comprises a stressed material’s mechanical performance, such as temperature or environmental composition…Various materials have different mechanisms of embrittlement, therefore it can manifest in a variety of ways, from slow crack growth to a reduction of tensile ductility and toughness” (Wikipedia.org). Most natural, and some synthetic, rubbers are not able to withstand environmental factors such as ozone, heat, or direct sunlight without becoming damaged in some way. For instance, “The aging of a rubber due to oxidation and heat is greatly accelerated by stress, and exposure to other reactive gasses like ozone. Besides embrittlement (chain hardening) or softening (chain scission) other visible changes such as cracking, charring, and color fading is observed” (polymerrdatabase.com). Due to its wide temperature range and resistance to outdoor environmental factors, silicone sheeting is able to work in cold weather without being affected by abrasive temperatures or ozone cracking.
Silicone sheeting is able to withstand temperatures of up to +500 degrees Fahrenheit making it the most resilient out of all other rubber heat resistant materials. Silicone weatherstripping is a common, and popular, product used for sealing vehicle and residential windows to protect against outdoor weather conditions. In addition, a silicone seal will not be subjected to ozone cracking or degradation caused by UV radiation or oxygen. Furthermore, silicone sheeting has excellent low temperature flexibility meaning that it is able to retain its flexibility in low temperatures whereas most elastomers become brittle and crack. Overall, silicone sheeting is a resilient and long-lasting material that is perfect for use in abrasive temperatures as well as outdoor environments.
Silicone CG Blue – 60A
- Color variation comes from regular blue to light blue
- Also available in a lower silicone shore hardness of 50A
- Can be exposed to UV and ozone due to resistance factors
- Features a great level of resistance to fungus and certain chemicals
60A Silicone Shore Hardness: Thanks to a 60A durometer rating, this commercial silicone is durable enough to be used in applications that may involve physical abrasions. A rating of 60A gives the material a better ability to resist physical indentation on its body. This helps to ensure that the blue silicone sheets last for longer periods of time. This material is meant to favor physical durability over flexibility, so use it in application that require some more rigidity from your rubber parts.
Temperature Resistant Rubber: In most cases, extreme temperature conditions can damage a rubber. That is not the case with silicone rubber. This high quality commercial silicone rubber can operate in temperatures that range from -103 F to 450 F. Silicone is regularly used in a wide variety of applications that involve either very cold or very hot temperatures. These blue silicone sheets will help you identify parts based on their chemical compound. Since most other rubbr sheets (e.g. neoprene, epdm) are not blue, your staff can easily pick out material based on color.
