It's not every day people ponder what are the applications of silicone foam. But industries that need a durable, versatile, and high-quality material do. A lot of industries use silicone foam for various critical applications.
You'll see it used in aerospace, the medical and automotive industries, and more. The properties of silicone foam make it irreplaceable in the areas it's used. It's time silicone foam gets the spotlight it deserves. That's exactly what this guide is going to be. By the end, you'll know all about silicone foam and its applications.
Silicone foam makes for an excellent sealant and insulator. Which is why you’ll see it used everywhere. Here are some cool benefits silicone foam has:
Since silicone foam is very low density. Which means it doesn't weigh much. Additionally, the low density also helps with dimensional stability.
You can use either open-cell or closed-cell silicone foam. There are differences between the two. Open-cell foams absorb moisture and dust.
You can use these for cleaning purposes, for example. On the other hand, closed-cell silicone foam doesn't. This makes them the perfect choice for use as sealants and gaskets.
Another superpower of silicone foam is its exceptional heat resistance. It makes it easy for companies to use silicone foam in extreme heat conditions without any worry about safety. Not only that, it retains all of its mechanical properties and flexibility even in high temperatures.
Silicone foam also has very low gassing. It doesn't release much gas or toxic chemicals, even when exposed to high temperatures. All the properties mean silicone foam can be used in many critical solutions. You can check out this informative video if you’re interested to know more about outgassing.
Silicone isn't a jack of all trades. There are other, more versatile materials. However, the thing silicone foam does best it's practically irreplaceable for those applications. For example, it's a great insulator. Its properties make it the perfect material for shock and vibration absorption.
You'll also see most gaskets use silicone foam as the primary material. This simple application lends this material as one of the most widely used in some of the most complex and profitable industries:
You're reading this article on an electronic device. Chances are your device is using silicone foam in some way – especially if it’s water resistant. Silicone foam is used extensively in the electronic industry for its noise-dampening and waterproofing properties.
Additionally, when keeping components safe, silicone foam is a certified MVP! Manufacturers use it to seal gaps and keep away dirt, dust, and, most importantly, moisture. Using silicone foam or some silicone material helps keep your beloved devices safe and sound.
Apart from this, silicone foam is great at absorbing vibrations and can provide cushioning. All these together make our devices more durable and fun to use.
You want impeccable safety and reliability when flying thousands of feet in the air. Take a wild guess for what's used to provide this security. Yes, it's silicone foam. High-performance drones, planes, and the aerospace industry generally use silicone foam all the time!
It's primarily used to make resilient and extremely tough gaskets. Silicone foam can withstand high-stress and temperature situations. They can maintain optimal performance in temperatures ranging between -148°F to 392°F!
Resilience to high temperatures also makes them perfect for thermal insulation. Coupled with its ability to maintain performance in high temperatures, vibrations, and pressure, silicone foam is the material of choice for sealing and gaskets for making planes. UAVs also use silicone foam to protect their internal components.
Helping millions of people live their best lives are medical devices that wouldn't have been possible without silicone. However, the silicone foam used in major medical devices isn't off-the-shelf.
They're medical-grade and high quality. These tough materials go into critical medical devices like:
The special silicone foam used in these devices is also biodegradable, which makes them the perfect solution for medical applications. They work perfectly with body fluid and can withstand harsh sterilization chemicals.
Additionally, silicone foam has very low outgassing, which is crucial for medical applications and manufacturing critical electronic components.
The exceptional sealing properties of silicone are perfect for automotive use. It's extensively used as an engine for sealing off different areas. Car engines also produce a tremendous amount of heat as well.
The heat resistance of silicone foam also makes the cars you buy safer. Technicians use it for weather-stripping and also on windows to stop moisture leakage. Modern cars also use a ton of electronics.
Silicone foam gaskets come in very handy to keep all these internal cat guts safe from dirt and moisture. Additionally, as the EV car market gets bigger, car manufacturers are using more and more silicone foam for EV batteries. To be more specific, they use it to make the lithium-ion batteries inside much safer.
Another important application of silicone foam is in the food industry. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strict regulations. Companies need to meet all regulations if they want to operate legally.
This is where food-grade silicone comes to the rescue once again. Thanks to its properties, food-grade silicone is perfect for harsh food processing applications. Additionally, it's odorless and tasteless. Which means it will not alter the end product in any way.
Hopefully, now you know what the applications of silicone foam are. Silicone foam is one of the most versatile materials there is. It has applications in all kinds of different industries. As our world gets more technology-focused, the demand for silicone foam will only rise.
If you're looking for a custom silicone manufacturer with over 36 years of experience, contact us! We are China's top manufacturer of silicone products with many happy clients.
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