For the squeezy plastics, phthalates are often added. *�*y��=�� k|�,��E�qX��n�y\�����]�!���ū���q��� ��������f�Z�\����K|�V��8m+�i���vm�c�z��'D*•?4��G;fC[ݓ?�X*> Vaseline is a very mild petroleum product. What's the deal - does 10% bleach solution damage silicone or not? After this it needs to be tested in some way to prove that it is still “fit for purpose”. We can distinguish silicone from rubbers by the atomic structure. However, not all rubber and plastics are attacked to the same extent by each agent. If stored in hot conditions with other adverse influences then the shelf life can be reduced somewhat. The truth is though, that it is when the parts are in service that significant degradation will take place and it is then that Silicone Engineering cannot legislate for the uncertainty of, and the variation in, the service conditions. The Parker O-ring Handbook states: A polymer is the “result of a chemical linking of molecules into a long chain-like structure.” Myth 2: Silicone lubricants will irritate skin If the area is ventilated correctly, you should be fine, though. Silicone does not contain latex. ;�-�k�5yF��x���lj���Q]�,��,��W�@���;_��%KP��¬M�i������@�M�-͘��L�[,9�����ܷwi7�57��C�r��8���`���[� Many reports indicate that silicone lubricants do deteriorate softer sex toys that may also contain silicone, jelly or CyberSkin, due to the way that silicone molecules react with other silicone products. As a general rule, when a product’s physical properties degrade to approximately 50% of its original values then the stuff is getting to the end of its useful life and is probably no longer fit for purpose. After each time period the product becomes worse. Macrophotograph of ozone cracking in NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) diaphragm seal. Rubber car parts can also be soaked in clean power steering fluid (since the purpose of the fluid is to maintain the rubber seals in the system. ztC�W� ��3���-9]���N��>>YV It's one of those things that makes no sense. 0 Older silicone and latex caulks can deteriorate in quality, even inside a sealed tube, and never fully cure. Form of cracking. Silicone Engineering would also guess that in the days of Just In Time etc. Coffee Machines. Latex can be either natural or synthetic, but natural is more common. Silicone rubber withstands high and low temperatures far better than organic rubbers. At intervals during the aging period, Silicone Engineering removes a sample and performs various tests to determine how much it has degraded. The problem, however, is that there isn’t a way to tell if your silicone is platinum grade or not. Vinegar is safe for natural rubber seals and parts constructed from ethylene-propylene, silicone, fluorocarbon, virgin Teflon and butyl synthetic rubber seals. These same qualities make it an excellent rubber product in hostile environments. i-��B��{�۶����]�e �hf�����=N!g׫�3�9� ���vZ���#\�H�5Mn�]����H?L�V����T��5mc�b�%Z!K�D�'��u �{��(�jb�ɉ��g�Rt�]��c�4R�� The silicon-silicon bond is much weaker than the carbon-carbon bond, so (like-for-like) silicone rubber is inevitably less strong than carbon-based rubber. Silicone rubber withstands high and low temperatures far better than organic rubbers. Under ideal conditions silicone even after a considerable time will arguably still be in the same condition it was on the day of manufacture and will be fit for the purpose for which it was made. This is of course a rough estimate and should not be taken too literally but it gives a broad answer. Very quickly manufacturers upgraded these fuel system components so that today they are all compatible with ethanol fuels." "��d�\�d����*�AD-���(�����Hc The silicon-silicon bond is much weaker than the carbon-carbon bond, so (like-for-like) silicone rubber is inevitably less strong than carbon-based rubber. ��,ϚR���j�/}1�X2��A����g���? The long and short of it was clear: plastics are petroleum-based products and manufacturers add chemicals (like BPA and similar) to create various functionalities. In addition, silicones have more special properties than normal rubbers. Latex can be either natural or synthetic, but natural is more common. Therefore, it also is a type of elastomer as rubber. Of course the opposite works too in regard to shelf life, keep it cool and it will last longer however, this does not mean in freezing temperatures as this could also have a negative effect on shelf life. �t��ʼn1x�L���W���'Fc�-N�G�؏�P�=!���Y����}�K�x�_E� Silicone rubber can be used … If the product is packaged and delivered and placed on a shelf in perfect cool conditions then shelf life would be an awful long time. How do Silicone Engineering quantify the “minus some” and the “minus some more” because the rubber has aged. When we get asked about shelf life of silicone it often relates to the environment of where it is being kept. It seems to dry it out. Vinegar is safe for natural rubber seals and parts constructed from ethylene-propylene, silicone, fluorocarbon, virgin Teflon and butyl synthetic rubber seals. Once cured, silicone can be extremely difficult to stick to surfaces. It’s also very flexible, with 600% elongation and a tensile range of 500-2500 psi, while functioning well in temperatures from -50 degrees F (-45 C) to 350 degrees F (177 C). Does silicone spray deteriorate rubber? Silicone and latex are two distinct substances. Why would any designer specify 400% elongation and keep the part in service when the elongation was now much lower at say 100%? Silicone Engineering Requalify Food Grades, Why silicone is most effective material for the rail industry. Soaking in 10% bleach solution is a very common recommendation for sanitizing silicone sex toys, but silicone menstrual cup manufacturers all seem to say not to use bleach to clean them. Silicone lubricants will irritate skin. Life in service will be very different to any ageing conditions undertaken in the lab, so they cannot say how long a product will last in service, only try to back up and support other information that may suggest a LIS estimate. LIS Continuous @ 180°C = 24 weeks and so on. ��ZY�q=��s1�{&;�\R�`-x:�ؽ��Z����=~ږO6��DŽk�B�zW�o����gA۔{p-[�W{�o�t�{~���:Hj�ċW � �%"5��f���RT6�%b]7P�>w��+���{��Q��7�j� �H�Z�}�f�K5��x � ���0�+d(u8a�o��"Kr7턡�8C�f�&%��* Thus, silicone rubber can be exposed to wind, rain and UV rays for longer periods without any change in its physical properties. Rubbers are naturally occurring, or else we can synthesize them, but silicon is only synthetic in nature. Solid or HTV (high temperature vulcanized) silicone rubber has long-chained polymers with the heaviest molecular weights. With similar properties to silicone rubber below 250 degrees F, EPDM is resilient, has low electrical conductivity, and adheres easily to metals. Well, rubber, whether natural or synthetic, is a polymer and its chains of molecules are vulnerable to many of the same factors that affect all polymers — ultraviolet radiation, temperature extremes, ozone and oxidation. It has been enriched from the standard O2 molecule to an O3 molecule. Silicone does not contain latex. Thus, silicone rubber can be exposed to wind, rain and UV rays for longer periods without any change in its physical properties. Another British Standard Aerospace Series BS 4F 68 puts silicone into group X, shelf life for Group X and none specified. Silicone is a synthetic compound that is similar to rubber and resistant to heat. 186 0 obj <>/Encrypt 169 0 R/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[]/Index[168 32]/Info 167 0 R/Length 85/Prev 378783/Root 170 0 R/Size 200/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream Rubber that gets regular use will retain its flexibility and molecular properties longer than neglected rubber. The correct lube to use is a silicone based lubricant, which comes with or without Teflon. Rubber car parts can also be soaked in clean power steering fluid (since the purpose of the fluid is to maintain the rubber seals in the system. Silicone, on the other hand, is not susceptible to this kind of damage because it can stand up to extreme temperatures better than rubber. To find out more about our Silicone Products visit our Products page or to find out how silicone compares to EDPM, view our comparison. I have worked out that LIS Continuous @ 150°C would be around 190 weeks. To conclude, storage, packaging, temperature, humidity, mechanical/abrasion, pressure from stacked items are all important factors that can affect the shelf life of silicone rubber. there will be few cases of companies buying silicone then stock piling them for 10 or 20 years. Silicone is a synthetic polymer made up of silicon, oxygen and hydrogen or carbon. :i��U� ��5׈���/����)Ÿ��Z �C�X��>���1�i�}>\K�G�Id�K4�d��p|m�VQ��q[�+������b�q���!3�lMW�z�p��_\���s���!��ټ�l��=?��&j�G���_Ǘ!�ׇ��~��d�:+�g]�|�%Q�GkJ�|�\u�2�[�� ㍐re{�(���"Q/df�˨�;�5��O ;'~��eG6�ߝ`� (�g�|P��� -0ɿ��FoZ�9E�l��{k �($Zp/Y���I�^��[��n��3���!�5 Ozone is oxygen. ��ʡvf Platinum grade silicone toys are considered to be of the highest quality and are far less prone to warping, tearing, bubbling … and being broken down by high grade silicone lube. Find out all you need to know about Silicone rubber in this handy FAQ from Primasil Silicones, the leader in silicone rubber.. Silicone rubber manufacturer Primasil supplies compound, mouldings, extrusions and tubing for many industries including the medical, pharmaceutical, automotive, aerospace and rail and mass transit industries. Silicone is a polymer whereas synthetic latex … If the product was seeing 150°C for only 8 hours a day then the LIS would be approximately three times this. During adverse storage the shelf life and so the life in service is potentially eroded however, it is important to remember it is a gradual process of degradation which happens naturally. Vinegar also removes odors from clothing and rinses detergent residue from dishes. d:����X��쁮b��hkR���mS?�ij�K(�E2�U�Ep���,�N�A���+�=@Ԓ_醔�1A�%�J�|��������[�X�5 쾤��6Ţ�S��c$���g��%��7��?m7hĠ|jw]K'�#/up��L� ��sl5� ���w�s�0`�B���*���n�]�r������!p�H����=@�0͢{�!�M��afQ� �AF��|_Ut�7 V�G��J�?����W��PՀ?v��K�T�*%�q��^�/Mv�Ϛ��ޠ�ၹ�W�"o�n��v��\ǔ�;yW. Fit for purpose usually means that the material still meets the manufacturers original specification although it can be very difficult to test an extruded or moulded part to original specification nevertheless things can be done. This would include Vaseline. The problem, however, is that there isn’t a way to tell if your silicone is platinum grade or not. Chloroprene rubber deteriorates rapidly and discolors at temperatures between 150°–250°C, but there is little change in silicone rubber even at 250°C. In our laboratory, we can perform heat age testing where we prematurely age the product by exposing it to elevated temperatures, this has the effect of increasing the chemical reaction. $H��x��(�G[��.��d��sdᡒ�j�>B��j�W�+O;��eu�3�ٴ�0ʄ����s��:����u����Ro7q��WLe �x�2BL�[o�w���u�V}�W�n������){� D �ahk$�2ih���1�/j���F!E�Q�]��t�����QS�,��8.N�Q? They are polymeric materials that exhibit the viscoelastic behaviour, which we generally call as elasticity. Silicone rubber molds are also made from RTV silicone rubber. Consideration needs to be given to the various stages within the life of the silicone. ����=F�W]̑O�#���_v�A�~����ӓ�PŚ��VW{3l��Q?F��]_���[i?��+K�:��,I��A,@� �&�ν��H����u�c%�+U⨦��x�� �ZĊ�*Œi���r��P��r���v��y6}�R6�ơh#tD4��b���S�V�EX^��S�l��SA�|�S��u�� Once again and as is often the case with these questions it all depends on many factors. experienced deterioration of some elastomers (rubber-like parts) and metal in fuel system components. To conclude, storage, packaging, temperature, humidity, mechanical/abrasion, pressure from stacked items are all important factors that can affect the shelf life of silicone rubber. 'د���zqƃ�R�'7'}�#�X��ړ��G�,�o�� – Used brand new = standard life in service (whatever that is for the application and conditions), – Been on the shelf for 10 years = standard life in service, minus some, – Been on the shelf for 20 years = standard life in service, minus some more. �9b�Ee݉�q|Q�� )eDF�]hD��#�VBdF�ӽGW&P8`��;�����y�/��̱?��.b�΃N�cי�쬊[�W5?��Ҟ�� +o�#� �%h_�(C�/���2�v��t5��r#s��� p�� ��{xx: ���H�]�G��OZ�lRe��X �rė�������Ob����N�"-.��q��1|�!��N��O����l��Ӛ��5�gHAh6�]��b�-V�� ��>y�npy�d)�^8����A) J�Y5�����"�l=8U�V��e����̪��з�o+j�j��>�������i�(�Z��r[��J�}K V2�HϢg����`��`���l��JϨaI�DJ����ˢ��w�3".ڹ���|?I1�tw�+x�����"~[�NB�`L�q��,y9�K|g���b7��A��߻e�����_Gf8Ӝ���� You will notice words are commonly used like probably, general rule and approximately, this is because with these discussions nothing falls off the edge of a cliff, it is a gradual thing that is happening as the silicone degrades and someone needs to “make a call”. , hire a professional to get the job done many factors but the critical strain is very small product hostile. 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