Did you know most rubber products today are not made from real rubber, which comes from trees? In fact, there are several important synthetic rubbers being used today for a wide range of applications. For example, silicone rubber gasket material is often preferred over standard cork and other gasket types. In fact, this synthetic rubber has many benefits which are worth checking into.
Inorganic
Silicone synthetic rubber does not get its name from silicon. Words ending in “one” refer to a double bonded oxygen atom arrangement. However, this synthetic rubber actually belongs to a group of inorganic polymers called polysiloxanes. The material does contain silicon, hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. This makes it a very useful polymer. Polymers contain long molecules which are chained or bonded together and this is what gives them elastic or rubberlike properties.
Benefits of Silicone Synthetic Rubber
Silicone rubber gasket material is popular because it is inert. In other words, it doesn’t react to oil, gasoline and many chemicals in an internal combustion engine. However, because it is inert it can also be used in medical implants and many kinds of hypoallergenic products. It is very stable chemically and doesn’t interact with skin, blood or tissue.
Temperatures
Natural rubber becomes very stiff when exposed to cold temperatures and when heated it can lose some of its properties. Silicone synthetic rubber has a high degree of resistance to both cold and hot temperatures.
Insulator
If you need something to insulate from electricity, silicone synthetic rubber is good choice. In addition, it can be used to insulate conductors exposed to wet conditions, because it is waterproof.
Flame Resistant
A high quality silicone rubber gasket is relatively unaffected by high heat and steam. In fact, the material is fire resistant and does not easily burn. At temperatures as high as 300 degrees Fahrenheit, it undergoes no changes.