{"id":16313,"date":"2018-06-20T17:40:34","date_gmt":"2018-06-20T15:40:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/?p=16313"},"modified":"2026-04-01T08:24:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T06:24:10","slug":"silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/","title":{"rendered":"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#It_All_Began_with_a_Failed_Experiment%E2%80%A6\" title=\"It All Began with a Failed Experiment&#8230;\">It All Began with a Failed Experiment&#8230;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#A_New_Type_of_Plastic\" title=\"A New Type of Plastic\">A New Type of Plastic<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Functionality_and_Diversity\" title=\"Functionality and Diversity\">Functionality and Diversity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Silicone_Rubbers_%E2%80%93_A_Class_of_Their_Own\" title=\"Silicone Rubbers \u2013 A Class of Their Own\">Silicone Rubbers \u2013 A Class of Their Own<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Peroxide_Cross-Linking\" title=\"Peroxide Cross-Linking\">Peroxide Cross-Linking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Platinum-Catalyzed_Addition_Cross-Linking\" title=\"Platinum-Catalyzed Addition Cross-Linking\">Platinum-Catalyzed Addition Cross-Linking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Condensation_Cross-Linking\" title=\"Condensation Cross-Linking\">Condensation Cross-Linking<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Tailor-Made_Polymers_for_Diverse_Applications\" title=\"Tailor-Made Polymers for Diverse Applications\">Tailor-Made Polymers for Diverse Applications<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Additives_Enhance_Polymer_Properties\" title=\"Additives Enhance Polymer Properties\">Additives Enhance Polymer Properties<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#Synthetic_Polymers_of_the_Future\" title=\"Synthetic Polymers of the Future\">Synthetic Polymers of the Future<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><strong>Among plastics, silicones are exceptional performers, combining chemical resistance to a wide range of substances with high temperature stability and flexibility \u2013 even at very low temperatures down to -100 \u00b0C. They are resistant to weathering, UV radiation and ozone. Above all, however, they are considered biocompatible, which explains their broad use in pharmaceutical and food applications as well as in medical technology. Silicone products are part of everyday life \u2013 whether when removing a freshly baked cake from its mold or taking a phone out of its case. Often unnoticed, they ensure that jackets remain dry in the rain, window seals reliably block out wind, or a car operates reliably.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"It_All_Began_with_a_Failed_Experiment%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>It All Began with a Failed Experiment&#8230;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">At the beginning of the 20th century, the English chemist Frederic Stanley Kipping (1863-1949), who was studying the chemistry of silicon, aimed to synthesize silico-ketones \u2013 analogous to the synthesis of ketones from acid chlorides via the Grignard reaction, which was well-established at the time. However, instead of a liquid, low-viscosity &#8220;silico-ketone,&#8221; he obtained a viscous white material. As he quickly realized, it bore little resemblance to a ketone and he had no idea what to do with it.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Instead of ketones with the hypothetical empirical formula R<sub>2<\/sub>Si=O, he had synthesized polysiloxanes \u2013 the fundamental building blocks of all silicones.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The name itself is a lasting reminder of Kipping and his pioneering work \u2013 the term &#8220;silicone&#8221; is derived from &#8220;silico-ketone.&#8221; It was only years later that polysiloxanes, as early synthetic polymers, were combined with glass fibers to form a material. However, this development initially went largely unnoticed and soon faded into obscurity. Polysiloxanes only achieved their breakthrough when Kipping&#8217;s complex and uneconomical synthesis route was replaced by the much simpler M\u00fcller-Rochow process.<\/p>\n<p><center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/tubes-hoses\/tubing-made-of-elastomers-soft-rubber\/silicone-tubing\/28684\/silicone-chemical-tubing-standard\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2079 size-full\" title=\"Silicone chemical hose | standard | conveying hose | very good temperature and excellent hot air resistance\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-chemieschlauch-standard.jpg\" alt=\"silicone chemical hose standard\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-chemieschlauch-standard.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-chemieschlauch-standard-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/tubes-hoses\/tubing-made-of-elastomers-soft-rubber\/silicone-tubing\/28700\/silicone-pharmaceutical-and-pressure-tubing-with-fabric-insert-of-glass-silk\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2080 size-full\" title=\"Silicone pharmaceutical pressure hose with glass fiber reinforcement | very good temperature resistance\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-pharma-druckschlauch-glasseide-gewebeeinlage.jpg\" alt=\"silicone pharmaceutical pressure hose glass fiber\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-pharma-druckschlauch-glasseide-gewebeeinlage.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-pharma-druckschlauch-glasseide-gewebeeinlage-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">At almost the same time, in the early 1940s, chemists Richard M\u00fcller (1903-1999) in Germany and Eugene George Rochow (1909-2002) in the USA independently patented the synthesis of chloromethylsilanes. In this process, methyl chloride is passed at high temperatures over highly pure silicon in the presence of copper as a catalyst. This results in mono- or polysubstituted chloromethylsilanes, which are separated by fractional distillation and serve as starting materials for the synthesis of polysiloxanes. Even after more than 70 years, the process \u2013 named after its developers \u2013 remains highly relevant: to this day, over 90 % of chloromethylsilanes are produced industrially using this method.<\/p>\n<p><center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/seals-and-gaskets\/dairy-couplings-din-11851\/30659\/silicone-sealing-rings-for-dairy-couplings\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2072 size-full\" title=\"Silicone dairy fitting seals | food-grade | good cold flexibility\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-milchrohrverschraubungsringe.jpg\" alt=\"silicone dairy seals\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-milchrohrverschraubungsringe.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-milchrohrverschraubungsringe-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/de\/dichtungen\/o-ringe\/silikon-o-ringe\/silikon-o-ringe-metrisch\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2073 size-full\" title=\"Silicone O-rings | metric | highly elastic silicone compound | excellent physiological properties\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-o-ringe-metrisch.jpg\" alt=\"silicone o rings metric\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-o-ringe-metrisch.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-o-ringe-metrisch-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_New_Type_of_Plastic\"><\/span>A New Type of Plastic<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Unlike &#8220;conventional&#8221; plastics, synthetic silicone-based polymers are not built on carbon-carbon (-C-C-) chains but on a silicon-oxygen (-Si-O-Si-) backbone. The bond energy of the silicon-oxygen bond is higher than that of a comparable carbon-carbon bond, which explains the excellent temperature resistance as well as ozone and UV stability of silicones. This fundamental difference makes silicones unique among synthetic materials and accounts for their wide range of applications.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Functionality_and_Diversity\"><\/span>Functionality and Diversity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Silicone-based polymers are encountered as silicone oils used in impregnating agents or antifoaming agents, as solid silicone resins applied to buildings and construction material surfaces to protect against moisture, and as elastic silicone rubbers.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Their great diversity is rooted in their structure, as each silicon atom in the -(Si-O-Si)<sub>x<\/sub>-chain has two available bondings sites.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These can be saturated with organic groups such as methyl groups (-CH<sub>3<\/sub>) or linked via oxygen atoms to other silicon atoms to form two- or three-dimensional networks. The higher the degree of cross-linking via oxygen, the harder the resulting material becomes.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Silicone_Rubbers_%E2%80%93_A_Class_of_Their_Own\"><\/span>Silicone Rubbers \u2013 A Class of Their Own<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The largest share of silicone products consists of silicone rubbers. The different types vary depending on their manufacturing process, type of cross-linking, and degree of cross-linking.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Room-temperature-vulcanizing rubbers (RTV) cure at ambient temperatures, whereas high-temperature-vulcanizing rubbers (HTV) require elevated temperatures. The cross-linking of polysiloxanes into various silicone rubbers can occur via three different mechanisms.<\/p>\n<p><center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/tubes-hoses\/tubing-made-of-elastomers-soft-rubber\/silicone-tubing\/28693\/silicone-antista-chemical-tubing-platinum-catalyzed\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2063 size-full\" title=\"Silicone antistatic chemical hose | black colored special hose | homogeneous material mixture\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-antista-chemieschlauch.jpg\" alt=\"silicone antistatic chemical hose\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-antista-chemieschlauch.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-antista-chemieschlauch-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/tubes-hoses\/tubing-made-of-elastomers-soft-rubber\/silicone-tubing\/28704\/silicone-high-temperature-chemical-pressure-tubing-with-fabric-insert\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2064 size-full\" title=\"Silicone high-temperature pressure chemical hose with glass fiber reinforcement | specialized hose for extreme applications\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-hochtemperatur-druck-chemieschlauch-glasseideeinlage.jpg\" alt=\"silicone high temperature pressure hose\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-hochtemperatur-druck-chemieschlauch-glasseideeinlage.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-hochtemperatur-druck-chemieschlauch-glasseideeinlage-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Peroxide_Cross-Linking\"><\/span>Peroxide Cross-Linking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">The peroxide process has been used for over fifty years and is technologically well established. Organic peroxide compounds such as bis(2,4-dichlorobenzoyl) peroxide or dicumyl peroxide initiate the polymerization reaction and decompose at elevated temperatures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Silicone rubbers cross-linked by peroxides must therefore be post-cured at temperatures below 200 \u00b0C for an extended period to remove the by-products of radical polymerization.<\/p>\n<p><center><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/tubes-hoses\/tubing-made-of-elastomers-soft-rubber\/silicone-tubing\/28685\/silicone-high-temperature-chemical-tubing\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2052 size-full\" title=\"Silicone high-temperature chemical hose | highly elastic special hose for extreme applications\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-hochtemperatur-chemieschlauch.jpg\" alt=\"silicone high temperature chemical hose\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-hochtemperatur-chemieschlauch.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-hochtemperatur-chemieschlauch-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/tubes-hoses\/protective-and-insulating-hoses\/28707\/silicone-insulating-tubing\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2053 size-full\" title=\"Silicone insulating hose | foam hose for thermal insulation | very low thermal conductivity | extremely flexible\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-isolierschlauch.jpg\" alt=\"silicone insulating hose\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-isolierschlauch.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/silikon-isolierschlauch-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Platinum-Catalyzed_Addition_Cross-Linking\"><\/span>Platinum-Catalyzed Addition Cross-Linking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">For plastics used in medical, pharmaceutical, or food applications, many manufacturers opt for platinum-cured silicone rubbers from the outset. Platinum or organoplatinum compounds are used as catalysts.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">These remain in such minimal quantities in the final product that regulatory authorities such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fda.gov\/\">FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)<\/a> or the BfR (German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment named &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bfr.bund.de\/\">Bundesinstitut f\u00fcr Risikobewertung<\/a>&#8220;) raise no concerns, allowing silicones produced by this method to be approved for medical, pharmaceutical, and food applications.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In addition to their safety, the rapid vulcanization and the ability to control cross-linking speed via temperature are key advantages of platinum curing. However, even trace amounts of amines or sulfur can interfere with the process, acting as catalyst poisons.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Condensation_Cross-Linking\"><\/span>Condensation Cross-Linking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">In condensation curing, terminal hydroxyl groups of siloxanes react to form polysiloxane chains, which are cross-linked into two- or three-dimensional polymers using short-chain bifunctional amines, alcohols, or carboxylic acids, resulting in elastic silicone rubbers. Organotin or organotitanium compounds serve as catalysts, and the reaction is initiated by atmospheric oxygen. Room-temperature-curing silicone formulations are commonly used as sealants in construction applications.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_2044\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2044\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-2044 size-full\" title=\"Tiles with white silicone and grout spatulas\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Fliesen-mit-weissem-Silikon-und-Fugenspachteln.jpg\" alt=\"Tiles with white silicone and grout spatulas\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Fliesen-mit-weissem-Silikon-und-Fugenspachteln.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Fliesen-mit-weissem-Silikon-und-Fugenspachteln-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2044\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">\u00a9 TELCOM-PHOTOGRAPHY \/ Fotolia.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tailor-Made_Polymers_for_Diverse_Applications\"><\/span>Tailor-Made Polymers for Diverse Applications<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">By varying silicone rubbers and cross-linking methods, silicones can be engineered to exhibit specific properties. HTV silicone rubbers, for example, remain flexible and stable over a wide temperature range from -50 \u00b0C to 200 \u00b0C, and in some cases up to 300 \u00b0C. They are used in seals for the automotive and food industries, cable insulation, and damping materials.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">RTV silicone rubbers are particularly valued for their thermal conductivity and electrical insulation properties, making them ideal for applications in electrical and electronic systems.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Liquid silicone rubbers (LSR) have lower viscosity compared to HTV and RTV silicones. They can be processed via injection molding into a wide variety of shapes, such as silicone hoses. Since LSR silicones are always platinum-cured, products made from them are suitable for use in medical technology.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Additives_Enhance_Polymer_Properties\"><\/span>Additives Enhance Polymer Properties<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">To improve mechanical properties, silicone polymers often require fillers such as fumed silica (SiO<sub>2<\/sub>) or other inert materials. However, additional auxiliaries, additives, stabilizers, and especially plasticizers are generally not necessary. As a result, many materials used in medical technology, pharmaceuticals, and food industries are based on silicone rubbers. The physiological safety of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/tubes-hoses\/tubing-made-of-elastomers-soft-rubber\/silicone-tubing\">silicone hoses<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/seals-and-gaskets\">seals<\/a>, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/closure-elements\/plugs\/plugs-made-of-elastomers\">silicone stoppers<\/a>, their high purity, and their compatibility with all common sterilization methods further support their use in these sensitive applications.<\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2047 size-full\" title=\"Conical stoppers made of silicone | high-temperature resistant | reusable | highly elastic\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/kegelstopfen-silikon-hochtemperaturbestaendig.jpg\" alt=\"conical stoppers silicone high temperature resistant\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/kegelstopfen-silikon-hochtemperaturbestaendig.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/kegelstopfen-silikon-hochtemperaturbestaendig-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/en\/closure-elements\/plugs\/plugs-made-of-elastomers\/30008\/high-pharm-stopper-made-of-silicone-for-the-food-processing-technology-and-pharmaceutical-engineering\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-2048 size-full\" title=\"Silicone stoppers for food and pharmaceutical technology | translucent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/stopfen-silikon-food-pharmatechnik.jpg\" alt=\"silicone stoppers food pharma technology\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/stopfen-silikon-food-pharmatechnik.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/stopfen-silikon-food-pharmatechnik-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/center><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Synthetic_Polymers_of_the_Future\"><\/span>Synthetic Polymers of the Future<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Silicones possess properties that make them indispensable high-tech materials across many industries. Future developments may further expand their applications. For instance, early promising attempts are being made to use silicones in 3D printing, enabling faster and more efficient production of application-specific products. Another emerging form is silicone nanofilaments at the nanometer scale, which exhibit extreme properties and can impart superhydrophobic characteristics to surfaces \u2013 far exceeding the hydrophobicity of conventional materials. This opens the door to entirely new material properties and applications \u2013 the future of silicones remains an exciting field!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Among plastics, silicones are exceptional performers, combining chemical resistance to a wide range of substances with high temperature stability and flexibility \u2013 even at very low temperatures down to -100 \u00b0C. They are resistant to weathering, UV radiation and ozone. Above all, however, they are considered biocompatible, which explains their broad use in pharmaceutical and &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":11525,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3028,3029],"tags":[3853,4050,2762,4042,3868,3806,4047,4048,4051],"class_list":["post-16313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-alle-beitraege-en","category-werkstoffe-in-der-chemie-en","tag-food-en","tag-liquid-silicone-rubbers-lsr","tag-o-rings","tag-plastic-manufacturing","tag-plastics","tag-silicone-hoses","tag-silicone-polymer","tag-silicone-rubbers","tag-synthesis-of-polysiloxanes"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic - Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Silicone a high-performance plastic resistant to chemicals, UV and extreme temperatures. \u2705 Discover its chemistry and applications. | RCT Magazine\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic - Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Silicone a high-performance plastic resistant to chemicals, UV and extreme temperatures. \u2705 Discover its chemistry and applications. | RCT Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-06-20T15:40:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-01T06:24:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"533\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/\",\"name\":\"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic - Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-06-20T15:40:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-01T06:24:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/de5369aedc25d1f064871d823629e056\"},\"description\":\"Silicone a high-performance plastic resistant to chemicals, UV and extreme temperatures. \u2705 Discover its chemistry and applications. | RCT Magazine\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":533,\"caption\":\"\u00a9 oksix \/ Fotolia.com\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/\",\"name\":\"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/de5369aedc25d1f064871d823629e056\",\"name\":\"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/KH_Heise.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/KH_Heise.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise\"},\"description\":\"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise studierte an der Martin-Luther Universit\u00e4t Halle-Wittenberg Chemie und der vormaligen Technischen Hochschule Dresden Radiochemie und Chemische Kerntechnik. Danach war er bis zur politischen Wende 1989 als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Zentralinstitut f\u00fcr Kernforschung Rossendorf (ZfK) der Akademie der Wissenschaften in verschiedenen Bereichen der Isotopenproduktion und Markierungschemie t\u00e4tig. 1990 wurde er im neu gegr\u00fcndeten Leibnitz-Forschungszentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, dem heutigen Helmholtz-Zentrum, mit der Leitung der Abteilung f\u00fcr Organische Tracerchemie des Instituts f\u00fcr Radiochemie betraut, die sich mit umweltchemischen Prozessen in den Hinterlassenschaften des Uranbergbaus der DDR befasste. Dr. Heise ist begeisterter Hobby-Numismatiker und besch\u00e4ftigt sich dabei vornehmlich mit der h\u00f6fischen Medaillenkunst des 19. Jahrhunderts in Sachsen.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/author\/k-heise\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic - Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine","description":"Silicone a high-performance plastic resistant to chemicals, UV and extreme temperatures. \u2705 Discover its chemistry and applications. | RCT Magazine","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic - Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine","og_description":"Silicone a high-performance plastic resistant to chemicals, UV and extreme temperatures. \u2705 Discover its chemistry and applications. | RCT Magazine","og_url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/","og_site_name":"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine","article_published_time":"2018-06-20T15:40:34+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-01T06:24:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":800,"height":533,"url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/","name":"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic - Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg","datePublished":"2018-06-20T15:40:34+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-01T06:24:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/de5369aedc25d1f064871d823629e056"},"description":"Silicone a high-performance plastic resistant to chemicals, UV and extreme temperatures. \u2705 Discover its chemistry and applications. | RCT Magazine","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/Silikon-vielfaeltiger-und-universeller-Kunststoff.jpg","width":800,"height":533,"caption":"\u00a9 oksix \/ Fotolia.com"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/silicone-the-versatile-all-purpose-plastic\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Silicone: The Versatile, All-Purpose Plastic"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/","name":"Reichelt Chemietechnik Magazine","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/de5369aedc25d1f064871d823629e056","name":"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/KH_Heise.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/KH_Heise.jpg","caption":"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise"},"description":"Dr. Karl-Heinz Heise studierte an der Martin-Luther Universit\u00e4t Halle-Wittenberg Chemie und der vormaligen Technischen Hochschule Dresden Radiochemie und Chemische Kerntechnik. Danach war er bis zur politischen Wende 1989 als wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter am Zentralinstitut f\u00fcr Kernforschung Rossendorf (ZfK) der Akademie der Wissenschaften in verschiedenen Bereichen der Isotopenproduktion und Markierungschemie t\u00e4tig. 1990 wurde er im neu gegr\u00fcndeten Leibnitz-Forschungszentrum Dresden - Rossendorf, dem heutigen Helmholtz-Zentrum, mit der Leitung der Abteilung f\u00fcr Organische Tracerchemie des Instituts f\u00fcr Radiochemie betraut, die sich mit umweltchemischen Prozessen in den Hinterlassenschaften des Uranbergbaus der DDR befasste. Dr. Heise ist begeisterter Hobby-Numismatiker und besch\u00e4ftigt sich dabei vornehmlich mit der h\u00f6fischen Medaillenkunst des 19. Jahrhunderts in Sachsen.","url":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/author\/k-heise\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16313"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16313"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16316,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16313\/revisions\/16316"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11525"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rct-online.de\/magazin\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}