How to choose the appropriate material for customizing silicone products? In the field of silicone product customization, material selection is a key factor determining product quality and performance. The appropriate silicone material not only meets the functional requirements of the product, but also ensures safety and comfort during use.
Silicone materials can be roughly divided into the following categories based on their properties and applications:
1. Divided by performance
Ordinary silicone: It is the most common silicone material with excellent weather resistance, high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and other characteristics. Suitable for general industrial products such as seals, buttons, etc., with relatively low cost, but not suitable for direct contact with food or medical use.
Food grade silicone: Complies with international food safety standards such as FDA and LFGB, is non-toxic and harmless, and can be used to make silicone products that come into direct contact with food such as tableware, kitchenware, and baby pacifiers. Stable within the range of -20 ℃ to 200 ℃, it can withstand high temperature steaming and disinfection, as well as be used for frozen dough operations. It achieves a 99.9% antibacterial rate through physical adsorption and can inhibit mold growth without the need for chemical coatings.
Medical grade silicone: It has higher requirements than food grade silicone and requires medical grade certification such as ISO10993. It is used for the production of medical devices, human implants, etc. It has strict requirements for biocompatibility and sterility.
High strength silicone: It has high tensile strength and wear resistance, and can withstand high pressure and friction. It is suitable for silicone products that can withstand high pressure and friction, such as industrial products, sports equipment, etc.
Special performance silicone: designed according to specific requirements, such as conductive silicone used for sealing and conductive connections in electronic products, and flame-retardant silicone used for occasions requiring fire safety.
Divided by physical state
Solid silicone: mainly used for molded products, such as silicone sleeves, silicone tableware, silicone buttons, etc. Shaped by mechanical high-temperature extrusion, generally divided into silicone strips, silicone tubes, etc., with a hardness of around -10 degrees to 40 degrees.
Liquid silicone: mainly used for extruded products such as silicone nipples, silicone tubes, etc. Its material is relatively soft and mainly used in medical technology, human organs, and other fields.
2. Basis for selecting silicone material
When choosing silicone material, the following factors need to be considered comprehensively:
Application scenarios
Temperature resistance range: Select the appropriate silicone type based on the temperature range of the product's usage environment. For example, products working in high-temperature environments should use high-temperature resistant silicone gel; For products used in frozen environments, it is necessary to choose silicone materials that can maintain good elasticity at low temperatures.
Contact medium: If the product needs to come into direct contact with food, drugs, or the human body, food grade or medical grade silicone must be selected to ensure the safety and non toxicity of the product.
Physical properties: Select the appropriate silicone formula based on the physical properties requirements such as hardness, tensile strength, and tear strength of the product. For example, for products that require significant pressure and friction, high-strength silicone should be chosen; For products that require a soft touch and good elasticity, low hardness silicone can be chosen.
Special performance: If special properties such as conductivity, flame retardancy, and anti-static are required, corresponding special performance silicone gel should be selected.
Product characteristics
Dimensional accuracy: The dimensional accuracy of silicone products is very important and must be accurately measured and customized according to the actual size of the product. Sizes that are too large or too small can cause silicone products to not fit tightly to the product, affecting their effectiveness. Therefore, when choosing silicone material, its processing performance and dimensional stability need to be considered.
Thickness and hardness: The thickness and hardness of silicone products should be selected based on the characteristics and usage requirements of the product. Thin silicone products may not provide sufficient protection, while thick silicone products may affect the tactile feel of the product. In terms of hardness, silicone products that are too soft may be prone to deformation, while silicone products that are too hard may not be comfortable enough.
Cost and Environmental Protection
Cost control: Reasonably control costs and avoid unnecessary waste while ensuring product quality. The price of silicone varies greatly among different materials, and it is necessary to choose the appropriate material based on the product budget and market demand.
Environmental friendliness: Ensure that the silicone material used complies with relevant environmental standards and does not contain harmful substances. With the increasing attention of consumers to environmental issues, choosing environmentally friendly silicone materials has become a trend.
3. Material selection for common application scenarios
Food contact field
In the field of food contact, such as making tableware, kitchenware, baby pacifiers, etc., food grade silicone must be used. This type of silicone meets strict food safety standards, ensuring that it does not release harmful substances that pose a threat to human health during long-term use. For example, some high-end food grade silicone pad panels use platinum silicone or liquid silicone, with a silicon dioxide content of over 98%, which remains stable in the range of -20 ℃ to 200 ℃. They can withstand high temperature steaming and disinfection, as well as be used for frozen dough operations.
Medical field
In the medical field, such as the production of medical devices, human implants, etc., medical grade silicone should be used. Medical grade silicone has extremely high biocompatibility and non toxicity, which can meet the high standard requirements in the medical field. The production process requires strict testing and certification to ensure the safety and reliability of the product.
Industrial sector
In the industrial field, such as making seals, pipelines, etc., ordinary silicone or high-strength silicone can be selected according to specific usage environments and requirements. Ordinary silicone has stable performance, relatively low price, and is suitable for general industrial environments; High strength silicone has high tensile strength and wear resistance, and can withstand significant pressure and friction, making it suitable for industrial scenarios that require high product performance.
In the field of electronic products
In the field of electronic products, such as making sealing and conductive connecting components for electronic products, conductive silicone can be used. Conductive silicone has good conductivity and sealing performance, which can effectively protect electronic products from external environmental interference and damage.
Choosing the appropriate silicone product material for customization is a process that comprehensively considers various factors such as application scenarios, performance requirements, and cost budgets. By deeply understanding the basic characteristics and material classification of silicone, combined with specific application scenarios and product features, making scientific and reasonable choices can not only enhance the market competitiveness of the product, but also better ensure the safety and experience of users.
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