Silicones are extremely versatile
Silicones are used across some of the most strenuous and yet some of the most sensitive applications. They add "industrial" to the "strength" of coatings, sealants and joints in skyscrapers, bridges, highways and ocean vessels. Used in personal and health care, they make lotions, topical medications and skin adhesives easy to apply and less irritating.
Regardless of the application, silicones' wide-ranging properties make them a key ingredient in thousands of consumer and industrial materials.
Silicones' versatility stems from their performance and protective qualities.
Performance
Silicones can be made in a range of forms including solids, resins, rubbers and fluids.
Silicones have a wide range of material properties. They can be:
- Adhering or releasing
- Hard or soft
- Rigid or flexible
- Absorbent or water repellent
- Conductive or insulating
- Foaming or defoaming
Protection
Silicones in clothing, outerwear, shoes and personal care products protect people from heat, cold, wetness, electricity, and UV damage.
Silicones used in industrial applications protect equipment and possessions from:
- Water damage
- UV damage
- Extreme heat
- Extreme cold
- Climate changes
- Corrosion
- Chemicals and oils
- UV damage
- Microbes
And, silicones retain these properties over time so materials are less susceptible to damage from weathering, aging, temperature or climate fluctuations and normal wear and tear.