How silicones are polymerized &
finished
This is the “design center” of silicone manufacturing. It is where silicone
scientists engineer an infinite array of problem-solving and
innovation-enabling silicone materials.
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Did you know ... organic modification of the silicone
molecule enables the production of silicones that behave in seemingly
“unsilicone” ways! Learn about organically
modified silicones.
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Silicone polymerization
Polymerization is the process of linking smaller molecular building blocks
to create true silicone polymers – molecules with many repeating units.
Silicone polymers can be made reactive or non-reactive. They can also
be given an array of organic or inorganic functionalities.
A process called “end blocking” is used to control chain length,
molecular weight, and viscosity.
Because the end-blocker is non-reactive, it prevents further polymerization
from occurring. Most silicone polymer chain ends are terminated with
Me3SiO2.
Silicone polymers can be combined with other ingredients, like fillers,
crosslinkers, catalysts, and pigments to make a wide variety of non-curing
(fluids, greases, compounds) and curing (elastomers, resins, gels)
materials.
Silicone finishing
Finishing is the process of delivering silicone performance in easy-to-use
forms that meet specific manufacturing process, application, or performance
requirements.
Silicone finishing processes
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Emulsification – creating stable silicone fluid and water blends;
emulsifying simplifies the formulation process and reduces volatile organic
compound (VOC) content.
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Solvent dispersion – dispersing or diluting silicone polymers or
resins in various solvents; the solvent is used to control evaporation rate and
achieve compatibility with other formulation ingredients.
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Compounding – incorporating fillers (such as silica) and/or
additives (such as plasticizers or fire retardants); compounding overcomes
dispersion difficulties and helps control flow rate and film thickness; fillers
can also provide reinforcement and extend performance time.
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Blending – mixing different forms or viscosities of silicones
together or mixing them with other materials; blending creates materials with
unique properties and performance characteristics.
The result – the world’s most adaptable and
versatile materials!
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Through polymerization and finishing, silicone producers create materials
that:
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Are capable of reacting with other materials
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Are compatible with specific processes and substrates
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Give formulators and manufacturers a virtually unlimited range of material
forms and performance capabilities
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Investigate the types
and uses, structure and properties of different forms of silicone.
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