As we move more into the summer months and the temperatures rise across the country, it is important to note the sun’s effect on infrastructure. It is critical when choosing products to take into consideration the environment and the degree of sun exposure the materials will have to withstand when in use. UV light degradation puts a tremendous strain on both natural and man made materials from fading color to compromising the strength and durability of products.
Silicone has many benefits including tolerance to low and high temperatures, thermal stability, excellent insulation properties and resistance to water. It also carries flame retardant properties and is less prone to deterioration than other materials. Silicone is a thermoset elastomer that can be formed and shaped in a variety of shapes and densities depending upon the application. Silicone is used in a variety of industries that are required to be constantly exposed to UV light year round including construction, manufacturing and production.
There are several different types of silicone, the most common that we use is general-purpose silicone extrusions, fluorosilicone, and phenyl silicone. Each of these silicone types have differences in pros and cons.
- General-purpose silicone (MQ and VMQ) has a high resistance to temperature changes and is more likely to retain its color compared to other materials when exposed to UV light. Unlike fluorosilicone however it does not hold up well to chemicals or abrasion. Some common areas of general purpose silicone are used in aerospace, medical and FDA food and drug applications.
- Fluorosilicone is a long lasting material that contains trifluoropropyl groups that give it a high resilience to harsh chemicals, solvents, oils and acids. This type of silicone is frequently used in the automotive industry, medical and aerospace industries.
- Phenyl silicone, or methyl phenyl silicone is suited for applications that require extremely low temperatures and is resilient to shearing and oxidation. Because of these properties phenyl silicone is often used in aerospace and the automotive industry both of which deal with frequent temperature drops and abrasive surfaces.
At NWRE, we provide extruded silicone products designed to meet a range of application requirements such as thickness, color, sizes and length. Request a quote for your silicone extrusions today. We also provide value added services such as hand building, part marking and splicing to deliver a product that is ready for immediate use.