Fluorosilicone is an intricate and specialized synthesis elastomer that is useful in various industries to meet multiple needs. However, if you want to learn more about fluorosilicone, read this guide till the end. It explains the meaning, types, applications, and all you need to know about fluorosilicone.
What Is Fluorosilicone
Having a full understanding of elastomers will help you know more about fluorosilicone. When a material is said to be an elastomer, it means such material exhibits elastic properties. Technically, you can think of an elastomer as a polymer that comes with a dense network of cross-link molecules. Based on the molecules of an elastomer, the mechanical and chemical properties are determined.
You can refer to fluoro silicone as elastomers that are produced artificially. The synthesizing of this raw material entails bringing fluorocarbon compounds together with silicone polymers. Selected fluorocarbon monomers and silicone are mixed over catalysts, curing agents, and other conditions that are necessary for effective bonding in a controlled reaction.
With this polymerization technique, you can produce various fluorosilicones with varying properties to meet your requirements. After the reaction process, you then have your fluorosilicone, which you can then use to further produce fluorosilicone-based products.
Properties Of Fluorosilicone
Fluorosilicone comes with a lot of favorable properties and characteristics that make it a top choice for many manufacturers in the manufacturing industry. Here are they:
High Shrinkage Rate
Fluorosilicone easily reduces in size. This is due to the tight bonds in the cross-linking andization process. Due to these characteristics, manufacturing fluorosilicone is quite difficult. This means, there is a limit to the type of product you can make with this material. However, fluoro silicone was invented to cater to the production of some types of groups that shrinkage cannot affect.
Low Tear Strength
The tear strength of a material simply means the force that is needed before a material can be ripped apart. In the case of fluorosilicone, its tear strength is low. This tells you that the mechanical properties of fluorosilicone make the material unsuitable for applications that require tear resistance due to its low tensile strength.
Low Friction
Friction is the same as abrasion, it is the ability of two surfaces to rub against themselves. Therefore, in the case of fluorosilicone, the friction or abrasion resistance is low compared to other types of silicone. Although you may see this fluorosilicone property as a disadvantage, it makes the material perfect for applications that require minimal friction.
Mineral Oil and Fuels Resistance
Chemical resistance is an important property various materials possess. However, many of these materials are affected when they contact with organic and inorganic materials. Meanwhile, the reverse is the case for fluorosilicone. It’s one of the elastomers that mineral oils, fuels, etc cannot affect. Due to these properties, you can use silicone for the production of various products, and the need for these chemicals is crucial.
Solvent Resistance
Fluorosilicone has a good solvent resistance that makes it withstand both polar and nonpolar solvents, natural or synthetic solvents that can corrode or age the performance of the material, as well as inorganic corrosive chemicals. Fluorosilicone is chemically not active to these chemicals due to its fluoride atoms, thus making it a perfect fit for applications in the marine environment.
High-Temperature Resistance
Among various synthetic rubber materials that feature high thermal stability, fluorosilicone is one of them. The thermal stability of a material refers to how far a material can withstand high temperatures. Therefore, fluorosilicone has excellent temperature resistance that makes it resist between 100°C to 400°C.
Resilience
Fluorosilicone can last longer in various environments irrespective of harsh environmental conditions, due to this you can choose fluorosilicone over its pairs. This tells you that you can easily suspend the wear and tear that your application should go through when you make use of fluorosilicone.
How To Cure Fluorosilicone
Curing fluorosilicone means transforming the material. Normally, fluorosilicone in its natural state is semiliquid, to turn the material into a solid material that you can further use to produce various types of material, there is a need for chemical reactions. Meanwhile, for you to carry out this process, there are two curing techniques which are peroxide and platinum-based curing processes. Let’s dive into it.
Peroxide Curing System
During the curing process of rubber, the process and speed are initiated with the use of catalysts. Therefore, peroxide compounds are the catalyst used to initiate and speed up the process of curing fluorosilicone. To further enhance the knowledge you need for the peroxide curing system, it’s important you know that if you want a fluorosilicone rubber with improved density, high heat, and chemical resistance, you can make use of the peroxide curing system.
Platinum-Based Curing Systems
If you are using a platinum-based curing system, during the vulcanization process, you need to use platinum as the catalyst.
In this case, platinum salts or complexes are used to initiate the speed and make the formation of the material, thus giving it your preferred properties and strong bonds.
Grades Of Fluorosilicone
As a manufacturer, you need to be aware of the grades of fluorosilicone available for you to know which grade you should choose for your applications. This is because, as fluorosilicone varies in grade, so do its properties.
High-Temperature Grades
Being aware of the type of fluorosilicone that features high-temperature resistance is important for you to make an informed decision. For example, based on an American Military Standard (AMS) a fluorosilicone needs to exhibit higher temperature resistance before it can be put into use. In some cases, you will find out some grades are joined together. For instance, some types of fluorosilicone that feature high density and excellent UV resistance can be combined to form a grade of fluorosilicone.
Low-Temperature Grade
Fluorosilicone is also a top choice for catering to various needs in polar regions and cryogenic environments that require low temperatures. Meanwhile, there are some fluorosilicone that comes with varying durometer ranges like 30 to 80. If you find these types of grades, you can use them for fluorosilicone products that are either soft or hard.
Food-Grade Fluorosilicone
Some types of fluorosilicone are FDA-approved. FDA means The Food and Drug Administration. FDA are groups of people in the United States that see to the affairs of manufacturing products that are food related. Their goal is to make sure that products produced for food purposes are safe. Therefore, you’ll find some grade of fluorosilicone rubber that is FDA-approved, meaning you can use them for food-related purposes.
Electrical Grade
On a normal basis, fluorosilicone features chemicals that make it work as a good insulator in various applications. This tells you that it conducts electrical current poorly. With this property, you can make use of various applications where the need for electrical energy cannot be neglected.
Meanwhile, since there are different types of fluorosilicone, so does its insulation properties vary. Therefore, to be sure of the type of grade, manufacturers carry out a test to know the actual grade the material belongs to. This tells you that you can have fluorosilicone with either low or high insulation properties.
Advantages Of fluorosilicone
Understanding the advantages fluorosilicone possesses over its pairs is important for you to understand how high the material is rated. Normally, silicone rubber comes with strength, however, you cannot compare it to that of fluorosilicone. This tells you that fluorosilicone composition is times two of regular silicone rubber. Let’s look at some of these advantages for you to have a better understanding of what’s explained above:
- Higher Compression Set Resistance: You know that the shrinkage rate of fluorosilicone is high, but the material comes with high compression set resistance. This tells you that, irrespective of how much you compress fluorosilicone, it returns to its original shape without losing its elastic properties for a long time. Therefore, you cannot compare fluorosilicone to a regular silicone rubber that can easily be deformed.
- Gas Impermeability: Normally, you can make use of fluorosilicone to resist gas absorption at a higher rate than normal silicone-based products.
- High Thermal and Chemical Resistance: Normally, silicone elastomers withstand chemical degradation and heat up to some extent. Meanwhile, fluorosilicone resists more. This tells you that, in areas where normal silicone cannot function when it comes to resisting chemicals and heat, fluorosilicone still does the work better.
Disadvantages Of Fluorosilicone Rubber
Just like every other material, fluorosilicone has its disadvantages. However, these disadvantages are not based on the insufficiency of the materials, it’s based on external factors. Here are some of them:
- High Cost: It’s not new that premium materials are costlier. However, the cost price of fluorosilicone is based on its intricate and specialized synthesis. Therefore, this also inflates the cost of its production which proportionally influences the buying price.
- Scarcity: The manufacturers that are specialized in making fluorosilicone are limited, thus making the supply of the material limited in some places.
- Limited Color Options: You cannot see fluorosilicone in so many colors just like other synthetic elastomers, thus leading to challenges in finding your preferred color for your applications.
Applications Of Fluorosilicone
- Automobiles: Fluorosilicone is used to make seals and gaskets to ensure tight fittings, hoses to resist heat and chemicals, Diaphragms to tolerate aggressive fuels and temperature, coatings for improved durability and chemical resistance, and fuel systems components to resist fuel degradation in automobiles.
- Electronics: Fluorosilicone is used to produce cable insulation to safeguard electrical wires from environmental factors, connector seals for durable connections, thermal interface materials, and circuit board encapsulation in electronics.
- Food and beverages: In the food and beverages industries, fluorosilicone is used to produce membranes used in filtration systems, O-rings in machinery, connectors in high-temperature processing units, custom molded parts for specialized equipment, etc due to its oils, high temperatures, and chemical resistance.
- Construction: Fluorosilicone is used to produce coatings, expansion joints, adhesives, window and door seals, o-rings, and roofing material to prevent leaks, drafts, and movement accommodations, and to minimize stress in the construction industries.
- Medical: In medical industries, medical seals and gaskets, tubing for drug delivery systems, medical-grade diaphragms, sterilization-resistant parts, prosthetic liners, and medical sensor housing are produced with fluorosilicone due to their ability to withstand various chemicals.
- Oil and Gas: In the oil and gas sector, fluorosilicone is used to produce hoses and tubing that are used to transport chemicals and fluid, the sensor covers to withstand corrosive environments, and valve components for preventing high-pressure systems and leakage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, fluorosilicone has excellent chemical resistance, temperature resistance, and other properties of silicone to fit in your diverse applications like aerospace, industrial sectors, and automotive industries, thus giving you flexibility, durability, and longevity.