Silicone Sponge Rubber Guide
silicone sponges have outstanding mechanical qualities and are regarded to have a full closed cell structure. Silicone sponge frequently provides greater water sealing in wash-down applications as opposed to silicone foam.
What is Silicone Sponge?
Silicone sponge is utilized by the food processing, medical and pharmaceutical sectors for sealing purposes. Blending the lightness of foam with heavier sponge rubber's increased sealing characteristics, silicone sponge is a very flexible material.
The silicone elastomer is expanded at the moment it is heat cured; the expansion process forms the closed cell sponge structure. The expanding process may be compared to adding yeast to bread to make it rise, generating compressible air pockets. Expanded closed cell silicone sponge materials offer many of the benefits of solid silicone in a softer and more responsive form.
Properties of Silicone Sponge
Silicone itself is exceptionally temperature resistant, being able to endure both high temperatures and those that are considerably below freezing. Silicone sponge has a dense cell structure which provides significant protection against water and particles.
Además, the silicone sponge offers exceptional vibration isolation properties as well as being able to decrease the impacts of shocks to the item it is protecting.
On the negative side, Silicone has a low tear factor, which implies that it can rip quickly. This renders it unsuitable for dynamic applications. Silicone sponge is also very inert and should not be used with chemicals, notably oil.
Uses of Silicone Sponge
Silicon sponge is widely used outside for sealing off and shielding lighting, communications and electronics equipment from the outside environment. This is owing to its capacity to inhibit wind-driven rain and tiny particles from getting through and harming the equipment.
Owing to the metal detecting silicone employed in its creation, silicone sponges are widely utilized as seals on the production line where contamination must be prevented. This is because a small quantity of particles from degraded silicone seals that enter the production process can contaminate the items being created on the production line. This might result in thousands of pounds being wasted owing to interrupting production and tainted items being returned.
Particles from the silicone sponge may be detected by sensors on the manufacturing line, enabling for a prompt stoppage and repairs to be done in a short amount of time. This immediately reduces down the amount of time and money lost while the machinery is out of work.
Open-cell Vs Closed-cell Sponge Silicone Rubber
It is vital when selecting any sort of silicone sponge to appreciate the distinction between open and closed cells. Puzzling the two might create disappointment in a seal or gasket in the application.
Open Cell Sponge Silicone Rubber
Open cell basically suggests that every cell, or an air pocket, is extensively linked with the subsequent cell. These cells are not finished terminations, in this manner, agua, dampness, and residue might advance into the cell structure.
A certifiable instance of an open-cell sponge is the sort of sponge that is used to wash basic household objects. In the case that you place the wipe in a basin of water, you notice the wipe dousing up heaps of water which is subsequently squeezed out again onto the car. The water is permitted to travel through every cell and along these lines gets retained and kept inside the sponge.
Closed Cell Sponge Silicone Rubber
A closed cell sponge has a radically different cell structure than an open cell. In a closed-cell silicone sponge, each cell contains air in a completed and closed pocket. Water, humedad, and other deposits cannot penetrate any of the cells. For any sort of sealing needs, closed cell sponge is exceptionally suitable for usage as it has extremely low water intake keeping the water or any other fluid/material entirely isolated.
The main distinction between an open cell and a closed cell sponge is the toughness and pressure rate. A closed cell sponge will be substantially stiffer. In an open-cell sponge, the air may escape away when pushed and the major defiance comes from the rubber itself.
Silicone Sponge Material Applications
- General Sealing in different Industries/Custom Gasket Applications
- Sound and Vibration Insulation
- Hot & Cold Thermal Insulation
- Cushioning
- Insulating/Lighting Fixture Gasket/Electrical Enclosure
- Flame Retardant Sponge
- Food Processing Machinery Seal/Pharmaceutical Equipment
Benefits of Closed Cell Silicone Sponge
- Wide working temperature — Silicone sponge has a temperature range of -100°F to 500°F (-73°C to 260°C).
- Weather sealing — the closed cell construction provides for effective weather sealing with comparatively modest compressive pressures. UL 50 and UL 50E ratings are available.
- Compression set resistance - Silicone has good compression set resistance (ability to rebound to original thickness), especially at higher temperatures, compared to most rubber materials. Low-compression set silicone sponges are available for even greater performance than general-purpose grades.
- Resistencia UV y ozono - Silicone materials have exceptional UV and ozone resistance due in part to their inorganic backbone. Esto proporciona un rendimiento duradero..
- Difícil — When silicone is required, silicone sponge components provide superior robustness as opposed to silicone foam items.
- Outdoor gasket - Given all the above characteristics, a silicone sponge is a fantastic material option for outdoor conditions, from the Arctic to the desert.
Benefits of Closed Cell Silicone Sponge
La espuma de silicona está disponible en estructura de espuma de células abiertas y de células cerradas.
Estructura de espuma de células abiertas. permite una excelente absorción de agua, humedad, y polvo, lo que lo hace perfecto en una esponja convencional utilizada para lavar automóviles.
- Estructura de espuma de células cerradas. no se adapta a la absorción de agua, humedad, o polvo, lo que lo hace excelente en aplicaciones de sellado donde es necesario mantener fuera el agua y el polvo.. Este tipo es intrínsecamente hidrofóbico. (repele el agua) (repele el agua).
Esponja de silicona vs.. Espuma de silicona
Si bien tanto la esponja de silicona como la espuma de silicona tienen cualidades de sellado superiores a temperaturas elevadas, Hay pequeñas variaciones en los materiales.. La esponja de silicona se compone y combina en un molino de 2 rodillos y luego se cura en un horno.. La espuma de silicona se fabrica a partir de silicona líquida que se extruye y se cura en un proceso de más de. ambos son celulares.
| Característica | Esponja | Espuma |
| Materia prima | Silicona a base de goma, mezclado y curado al horno | Silicona líquida extruida y curada en horno. |
| Temperatura de uso mínima y máxima | -73ohC +260ohC -100ohF + 500ohF | -51ohC +200ohC -67ohF + 392ohF |
| Inflamabilidad | UL 94 HBF (La fórmula para quemado horizontal está disponible V22-300) | UL 94 V-0 Quemadura vertical - mejor clasificación de llama que la esponja |
| Conjunto de compresión | Bien (Está disponible una fórmula de compresión inferior V22-210) | Mejor conjunto de compresión que una esponja. |
| Resistencia a la tracción | Alta resistencia a la tracción; mayor peso del material | Menor resistencia a la tracción que una esponja.; menor peso del material. Más fácil de romper a mano. |
| Densidad | Esponja de silicona suave = 21-30 PCF (libra/pie cúbico) típico Esponja de silicona mediana = 29-33 PCF típico Esponja de silicona firme = 40 PCF típico | Espuma de silicona suave = 12 PCF típico(libra/pie cúbico) Espuma de silicona media = 22 PCF típico |
| Deflexión por compresión | Esponja de silicona suave = 5-9 PSI típico Esponja de silicona mediana = 6-14 PSI típico Esponja de silicona firme = 12-20 PSI típico | Espuma de silicona suave = 3 PSI típico Espuma de silicona media = 9 PSI típico |
| Nota: La información proporcionada es para referencia y el usuario debe determinar si un particular | ||
La esponja de silicona tiende a tener mayor densidad., tener mayor resistencia al desgarro, y tiene una temperatura de uso más alta (hasta 500F en comparación con 392F para la espuma de silicona) (hasta 500F en comparación con 392F para espuma de silicona) Esencialmente, la esponja de silicona tiene mayores cualidades físicas y mecánicas que la espuma de silicona..
La espuma de silicona tiende a ser más suave., menor en densidad, y tiene propiedades de conjunto de compresión más bajas. Ya que incluye más aire., proporciona un aislamiento térmico superior. La espuma de silicona también proporciona mayores cualidades retardantes de llama que son importantes en aplicaciones aeronáuticas.. Ninguna sustancia absorbe mucha agua., por lo tanto silicona "esponja" es frecuentemente un descriptor confuso.