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Silicone and rubber are both vital when it comes to modern manufacturing, design of products and in the field of industrial applications. They might appear to be similar in terms of look, but their properties, lifespan, and performance in various environments will make them different.
Whether you are a designer of consumer products, a medical part, an automotive seal, or an industrial gasket, the knowledge that silicone and traditional rubber are different will assist you in making the correct decision regarding the material that can be long term and functional. This detailed comparison will point out their structure, their property, their typical applications, and their benefits in order to arrive at the best decision.
What Is Silicone?
Silicone is an artificial elastomer manufactured by using silica (sand), oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. It has great heat resistance, elasticity and chemical stability due to its molecular structure. Silicone is neither hard nor sticky at a large temperature span and cannot decay easily in the sunlight, ozone, or water. Silicone is a non-toxic and pure substance, which is why it finds extensive applications in the medical and food-grade and high-performance fields.
What Is Rubber?
Rubber is an elastic polymer that is either natural or synthetic, which has a high tensile strength and abrasion resistance. Natural rubber is obtained through harvesting of rubber trees, whereas synthetic ones (such as neoprene, EPDM, nitrile, and butyl rubber) are a product of petroleum derivatives. In some of the industrial conditions, rubber is superior in mechanical durability, but it is subject to quicker degradation due to heat, UV light or abrasive chemicals.
Major Performance Dissimilarities.
| Property | Silicone | Rubber |
| Temperature Resistance | Excellent (-60o C to 230o C or higher) | Good (depending on rubber type) |
| Weather and UV resistance | Excellent climate | Change mediocre. |
| Chemical Resistance | High | Depends on type. |
| Elasticity | Very good | Excellent in natural rubber. |
| Durability | Prolonged service life | Mechanical service-intensive. |
| Price | A little bit more expensive | Usually not expensive. |
Silicone can withstand extreme conditions and rubber is good in load carrying and heavy abrasion.
The two materials are pretty universal but apply in different ways as both have their own strengths.
The most popular areas of Silicone use.
Silicone is used in industries where flexibility, sterility and extreme temperature tolerance are required. Examples of popular applications are:
Medical equipment & implants
Silicone is biocompatible and non-reactive, thus suitable in tubes, seals and respiratory components.
Food-grade products
Silicone is used as molds, baking tools, and a pot, as it is not toxic and can withstand high temperature.
Aerospace and automotive products.
Applied in gaskets, O-rings, and vibration dampers which require the application of high temperatures.
Electronics
Wires and components are insulated with silicone that prevents heat and corrosion.
Consumer products
Silicone rubber is soft and safe in phone cases, wearable accessories, kitchen, and infant products.
The rubber, particularly natural and synthetic types, has been used since time immemorial, due to its strength, elasticity and affordability. Common applications are:
Motor vehicle belts, hoses and tires.
The high tensile strength and abrasion resistance properties of rubber ensure its application in these high-stress parts.
Oil resistant gaskets and industrial seals made use of nitrile and neoprene.
Rubber soles, grips and protective equipment depend on the resistance to impact.
EPDM is a rubber that is very competitive in resisting weathering and it is used in roofing and outdoor buildings.
Natural rubber is used as many industrial adhesives due to its capability to form a strong bond.
Silicone has several performance benefits allowing it to be preferred to traditional rubbers:
Even at extreme temperatures, silicone does not change as it is stable and flexible. It suits best in the surroundings that include ovens, engines, or Cold storage.
2. Excellence Weather and UV Protection.
When silicone is subject to sunlight, ozone or rain it has not been shown to crack, fade or lose elasticity, so it is ideal in the outdoor and aerospace component.
3. Non-Toxic & Food Safe
Food-grade silicone contains no BPA, latex and toxic chemicals. It has been internationally accepted as a culinary and a medical ingredient.
4. Long Service Life
Silicone has a long life than most rubber compounds particularly under extreme environmental conditions.
5. Highly Customizable
It is easy to mold, extrude or cast silicone into complex shapes with high precision hence it is well suited to custom silicone molds, gaskets and silicone components.
Rubber also has its own advantages according to the use:
1. Cost-Effective Material
Rubber tends to be cheaper than silicone particularly in the large quantity production.
2. Great Strength of Mechanical Nature.
Rubber has good load bearing properties and responds well to abrasion and therefore is suitable in heavy industries.
3. Broad Selection of Synthetic Products.
Various synthetic rubbers including EPDM, nitrile, neoprene and butyl are available at specific performance based on the industry requirements.
4. High Elasticity
Natural rubber is also one of the most elastic materials and therefore suitable in shock absorption, tires and dynamic components.
What silicone or rubber to use can usually be based on what your product or process in industry needs. The following are the aspects to be taken into consideration:
Silicone will win the day in case your application is where heat is involved, or temperature is changing quickly, and you are using ovens/engines.
In the case of UV, weathering or ozone resistance, silicone is superior to most rubberous materials and it offers stability over the long term.
In case of abrasion resistance, tensile properties, or heavy load-carrying capacity, rubber, in particular, synthetic rubber, might serve better.
Food-grade silicone is of choice in medical and food related applications.
Rubber is cheaper to manufacture on a large scale but, silicone has superior performance and replacement in the long term.
Silicone and rubber are equally important in the industrial and consumer markets we have nowadays, but each does it in its own way. Silicone is also an excellent material in terms of temperature resilience, flexibility, safety and durability, whereas rubber is appreciated due to its strength, abrasion protection and low cost factor. It is these differences that allow manufacturers, engineers, and product designers to select the ideal material to meet their requirements.
