The Many Uses of a Silicone Sealant
When consumers think about silicone they don’t often envision it serving as a bonding or sealing agent, but in fact, it has come to be known as one of the most reliable and flexible of the sealant products.
A silicone sealant can come in a variety of formats including those that begin to bond as soon as they are exposed to the moisture in the surrounding air; those that require the blending of two agents in order to use; and those that work under pressure between two surfaces.
The reason that so many industries tend to opt for a silicone sealant is due to the materials’ many excellent properties and traits. When a manufacturer chooses a silicone sealant they are getting a product that:
· Withstands extremes of temperatures, including both heat and cold
· Repels water, ultra-violet rays, oxygen and ozone
· Has very low toxicity
· Does not react with many other chemicals
So, which industries would employ a silicone sealant? Currently the automotive industry, crafters and hobbyists, glass aquarium manufacturers, the entire building industry, the electronics industry and the space industry, among others. Clearly this means that a silicone sealant comes in many styles and varieties.
The automotive industry employs a silicone sealant nearly anywhere a joint or connection is exposed to high heat – this includes engine gaskets and within forced-induction systems. The industry also uses silicone grease and silicone oil to a very wide extent, but that is covered in other sections of this website.
Crafters and hobbyists can look to a silicone sealant for nearly any kind of activity. This is because there are some varieties that remain entirely flexible, even after curing, and there are others that are pressure sensitive, meaning the bond created is easily adjustable. Interestingly, though a silicone sealant is not usually employed on plastics, many manufacturers have responded to the needs of crafters and now make a good silicone sealant that bonds across surface to surface applications including glass, tile, plastic, metals and woods.
The glass aquarium industry began to rely upon a silicone sealant almost at their very introduction into the world. This is because it makes a superior bond between sheets of glass and eliminates the need for any other structure around a tank or aquarium. Amazingly, most modern glass joints made with a silicone sealant are usually capable of withstanding hundreds of tons of pressure.
The entire building industry, including plumbing contractors, tends to choose a silicone sealant for such applications as sealing joints, gaps and any crevices that might appear in buildings or where windows and doors are installed. The water, UV, and ozone repellant properties of such connections and the ability of a silicone sealant to flex and bend make them the ideal solution for the entire industry.
Finally, a silicone sealant is capable of withstanding tremendous variations of heat and pressure, which is the reason that so many parts and pieces of modern satellites receive a silicone treatment.
The industrial world is not limited only to a silicone sealant, however, and can also rely upon a silicone adhesive or silicone grease if such application are necessary as well. There are further details about other varieties of silicone on the other pages of this website.
Silicone Sealant
Silicone Sealant - its uses, applications and properties
