Silicone rubber is a man-made polymer, composed of silicon and other chemical elements. It has various applications in diverse industries. Silicone rubber is available in two types of formulations: liquid silicone and solid silicone.
In this blog, we’ll lay down the differences between liquid silicone rubber and solid silicone rubber, and decide which one is suitable for your application.
Solid silicone rubber
Solid silicone rubber is developed from solidified silicone raw material. To manufacture this type of silicone rubber, manufacturers need to use heating and a roller until the raw material is hot enough to form an elastic mold. The desired hardness of solid silicone rubber is achieved when the mold undergoes a vulcanizer and pressing at high temperatures.
Solid silicone rubber is used in various industries like aviation, construction, and consumer products. It has notable characteristics such as:
- Temperature resistance
- Chemical resistance
- Non-sticky properties
- Excellent electrical insulation
Solid silicone molds are available at a much lower price than those made from liquid silicone rubber because they are produced using compression molding, unlike the injection molding used for liquid silicone. You can develop various parts for different applications based on the production process. A major disadvantage of solid silicone rubber is that its production often involves manual operations.
Liquid silicone rubber
Liquid silicone rubber is a flowable silicone elastomer, processed through liquid injection molding. Liquid silicone rubber can be produced in a quick cycle time with much less raw materials. It is widely used in industries like healthcare, automotive, and food & product packaging. The properties of liquid silicone rubber include:
- Quick vulcanization
- Excellent fluidity
- Non-irritant to skin
- Safe for the environment
Liquid silicone rubber is used in many skin-care and medical-grade products. One major drawback of liquid silicone rubber is its high cost, due to the use of injection molding method.
Distinguishing factors between liquid silicone rubber and solid silicone rubber
There are many distinguishing factors between liquid silicone rubber and solid silicone rubber, such as:
- Applications:
- Appearance:
- End products:
Solid silicone rubber is used in the manufacturing of everyday consumer products. It is also used on various industrial and mechanical parts in the aviation and automotive industries. On the other hand, liquid silicone rubber is mostly used in healthcare and food products that come in direct contact with the human skin.
Liquid silicone rubber is denser in nature and has a higher fluidity. Meanwhile, as the name suggests, solid silicone rubber is available in the form of a solid.
Solid silicone rubber end products are lower in transparency when compared to liquid silicone rubber end products. Solid silicone has an odor, which comes from its vulcanizing agent, whereas liquid silicone rubber is odorless.
Choosing between liquid and solid silicone rubber depends on your specific application needs
Your preferred choice of silicone rubber will depend on the type of application. Liquid silicone rubber is in skincare and medical applications where the touch to human skin is involved. For manufacturing daily consumer products, solid silicone rubber is used. There are different types of silicone rubber available in the market with different characteristics and properties. One needs to choose among them as per the requirements of the finished product like:
- Transparency
- Tear resistance
- Water resistance
- Electrical conductivity
- High-temperature resistance
Both liquid silicone rubber and solid silicone rubber have their own set of benefits and characteristics. Understanding the differences between the two are essential for knowing what kind of silicone rubber you require for your industry.