silicones

It is recommended that any old silicone is removed. While new, freshly applied silicone can be applied & will bond to old silicone – the bond isn’t as strong as if it were applied to a clean surface.

Silicone shows greater resistance to extremes of temperature, both high and low, than other polymers. It can be easily pigmented to a wide range of colours and retains its flexibility over a wide range of temperatures.

• Excellent flexibility making it suitable for many applications including high speed rail
• Reduces high volume noises passing through
• Reduces vibrations and helps stabilises joins where silicone is used
• Can be used as precision sealing material including those in harsh environments
• Can provide thermal insulation to stop unwanted heat passing through

Our silicones are suitable for use in a constant temperature range of -60° to +230°C. However, some of our specially formulated grades can operate to as high as 300°C for intermittent periods.

Our Silicone temperature guide delves into the subject in more detail if you have any more questions.

Silicone is generally considered to be non toxic which is why it is the material of choice for many food and beverage processing applications and domestic kitchen items such as utensils and bake ware.

Silicone engineering have also developed a FDA approved silicone sponge sheet which can be used in many more applications within the food and beverage industry.

Silicone will resist the most extreme hot, cold, wet, dry and humid conditions that can be found. It is also resistant to the UV and Ozone damage that can cause other rubbers to fail.

Anti-mould elements are added to protect the silicone sealants used in bathroom and kitchen applications. As a result, the sealant is able to prevent against mould growth for a long period of time. However, if ventilation is poor or soap residue remains on the sealant joint for long periods of time, the anti-mould properties can be affected.

Standard silicone contains silicone oil that can penetrate into porous stone and therefore will show a darker edge next to the seal. This is called edge-of-seal contamination and cannot be removed or reversed. Specially formulated natural stone silicones prevent this and will therefore not lead to edge-of-seal contamination when used on natural stone.

If the sealant has not yet cured and has been spilled on a non-porous or smooth substrate, it can be removed using Swipex, or a dry cloth and white spirit. Porous surfaces are either difficult or impossible to clean. Even non-cured silicone will likely leave a stain behind.

We therefore recommend that the upmost care is taken when working on porous surfaces and to always use masking tape for protection. Immediately remove the tape after using the finishing solution to prevent skin formation over the masking tape.