The difference between rubber and silicone
Rubber is divided into natural rubber and synthetic rubber. The structure of natural rubber is a high polymer of isoprene, while synthetic rubber such as butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, etc. When cross-linked rubber undergoes deformation under external forces, it has the ability to quickly recover and exhibits good physical and mechanical properties as well as chemical stability.
The main component of silicone rubber is high molar mass linear polysiloxane. Due to the Si-O-Si bond being the basic bond type, silicon atoms are mainly connected to methyl groups, and a very small amount of unsaturated groups are introduced on the side chains. The intermolecular forces are small, and the molecules have a helical structure. The methyl groups are arranged outward and can rotate freely. Therefore, after vulcanization, silicone rubber has excellent high and low temperature resistance (-100~315 ℃), weather resistance, hydrophobicity, electrical insulation, physiological inertness and other characteristics. It has been widely used in national defense, military industry, medical and health, industrial and agricultural production, and people's daily life. The most important thing is that it is non-toxic, commonly used in pacifiers and breast augmentation fillers.
1. The two have different definitions. Rubber is a general term that includes many types, such as natural rubber, butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, propylene rubber, and of course, silicone rubber; Silicone is one of the specific types of rubber.
2. Rubber has a wide range of applications, mainly utilizing its elastic properties, such as rubber tires, bridge shock absorbers, rubber hoses, rollers, etc. It is mainly used in industrial applications; Silicone is mostly used in food and household appliances, such as pacifiers, children's spoons, and voltage cooker seals.
3. Different types and grades of rubber have different applications. For example, natural rubber is mainly used for tires, butyl rubber is mainly used for inner tubes, and EPDM rubber is used for sealing products.
4. When selecting rubber, specific performance indicators such as hardness, tensile strength, compression deformation, wear, tear, and usage environment need to be considered.
From their properties, we can see that silicone rubber has unparalleled advantages over ordinary rubber. The price of silicone rubber is higher, and which one is better depends on our use. If ordinary rubber products can meet our needs, there is no need to use a cow knife to kill chickens. Silicone rubber has better performance and higher price.
Which is better, silicone or rubber
Rubber is a general term for high elastic polymer compounds. Due to its unique high elasticity, it is also known as an elastomer. The main characteristic of rubber materials is that they can maintain excellent elasticity over a wide temperature range. High elongation and low elastic modulus.
Rubber is divided into two categories: natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Synthetic rubber can be either general synthetic rubber or special synthetic rubber. Universal synthetic rubber includes styrene butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, chloroprene rubber, butyl rubber, polyisoprene rubber, ethylene propylene rubber, nitrile rubber, etc. Special synthetic rubber includes: silicone rubber (i.e. silicone rubber), fluororubber, acrylic rubber, polyurethane rubber, chlorinated polyethylene, and chlorohydrin rubber. Polysulfide rubber, etc.
Silicone, as a type of rubber, has characteristics such as high and low temperature resistance, weather resistance, ozone resistance, non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Silicone and rubber are not necessarily better, they can only be applied in the right way.
Silicone rubber is an emerging high-tech material that was initially only used in the aviation and military industries. Nowadays, it is widely used in industries such as electronics, textiles, automobiles, machinery, leather and paper, metals, paints, medicine and medical care, supporting electrical appliances, electronics, toys, hardware, medical equipment, sports goods, audio, lighting, machinery, and automobiles. Material characteristics: It has various fields such as non-toxic, environmentally friendly, physiologically inert, UV resistant, ozone resistant, stamping resistant, acid and alkali resistant, wear-resistant, flame-retardant, voltage resistant, and conductive properties.
Silicone rubber is mainly processed through high-temperature vulcanization, with the most common forms being molded products, liquid filled rubber, extrusion molding, rolling molding, and other processing techniques. Such as various rubber plates, gaskets, cups, valves, films, shock absorbers, electrical plugs, rubber rollers, potentiometer insulation sleeves, waveguides, silicone phone protective covers and buttons, etc; Various rubber hoses, strips, ropes, wire and cable sheaths in extruded products, sealing gaskets, films, isolation cloths, and other products in adhesive tape products.
