| Modern society expects technological innovation | | | | Silicone synthetic rubber is one of two materials |
| and product development that will enable us to | | | | presently being used for switch contacts (the |
| live longer, healthier, better lives. Silicones are a | | | | other is a material called EPDM). |
| fundamental building block that helps make this | | | | Dimenthylpolysiloxane, a typical polymeric |
| possible. | | | | constituent of rubbers, has a helical or coiled |
| Silicone rubber is a synthetic material which has | | | | molecular configuration with a small intermolecular |
| the structure shown below. The polymeric | | | | force so that it has high resilience,large |
| molecular structure of silicone rubbers has a main | | | | compressibility and excellent cold resistance. |
| chain formed of siloxane linkages Si-O. The bond | | | | Furthermore, the outwardly directed methyl |
| energy of the siloxane linkage Si-O is 106.0 kcal | | | | groups are able to rotate freely resulting in the |
| mole which is much higher than the bond energy | | | | unique surface properties of silicones such as |
| 84.9 kcal/mole of the carbon-to-carbon bond | | | | water repellence and surface-releasability. |
| C-Co This difference in the bond energies explain | | | | Silicone is odorless and tasteless. It does not |
| the outstanding stability of silicone rubbers in | | | | cause staining, corrosion or deterioration of other |
| comparison with other organic rubbers. In general, | | | | materials with which it comes in contact. Good for |
| silicone rubber has much better heat resistance, | | | | FDA-approved applications. |
| electrical insulation, chemical stability, etc. than | | | | Silicone rubber has excellent resistance to many |
| organic rubber. | | | | chemicals, fluids and oils commonly encountered in |
| The "Silicone-Oxygen" molecular structure | | | | service. Silicones are a family of polymers that |
| provides characteristics that allow the final | | | | include siloxanes and silanes - compound variations |
| material to withstand a wide variety of chemical | | | | of the natural element silicon. Silicon is the second |
| and mechanical degradation as well as serving as a | | | | most common element in Earth's crust. |
| strong dielectric. | | | | |