In the vast field of materials science, silicone rubber and silicone oil shine like two brilliant stars, profoundly influencing our lives with their unique properties and wide-ranging applications. Both belong to the organosilicon materials family, which uses silicon-oxygen bonds (Si-O) as its basic skeleton and exhibits many amazing characteristics.

一、Silicone Rubber: A Highly Elastic Magical Material

Silicone rubber is a polymeric elastomer whose main molecular chain is composed of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms, with organic groups such as methyl and ethyl as side groups. This special molecular structure gives silicone rubber a series of excellent properties.

（一）Outstanding Properties

1. High and Low Temperature Resistance

Silicone rubber can maintain good elasticity and performance under extreme temperature conditions. It remains soft and malleable without hardening or cracking at extremely low temperatures of -60°C. At high temperatures of 250°C, it does not melt, deform, or lose elasticity—characteristics that many ordinary rubbers cannot match. For example, in the aerospace field, when aircraft fly at high altitudes, the external environment is extremely cold, while parts such as engines generate high temperatures. Seals, gaskets, and other components made of silicone rubber can work normally under such drastic temperature changes to ensure the safe operation of aircraft.

2. Good Chemical Stability

Silicone rubber has excellent resistance to most chemical substances, and it is difficult for acids, alkalis, or organic solvents to erode it. This makes it widely used in industries such as chemical engineering and pharmaceuticals. In chemical production, which often involves various corrosive chemical raw materials and reaction processes, pipes, valves, and other components made of silicone rubber can resist chemical corrosion, ensure smooth production, and extend equipment service life.

3. Physiological Inertness and Biocompatibility

Silicone rubber has good compatibility with human tissues, does not cause immune reactions in the human body, and is non-toxic and harmless. This characteristic makes it an ideal choice for medical polymer materials. In the medical field, many artificial organs and medical devices such as heart valves, artificial joints, intrauterine contraceptive devices, and subcutaneous implants are made of silicone rubber. It can not only function stably in the human body for a long time but also minimize adverse effects on the human body and protect patients' health.

4. Excellent Electrical Insulation

Silicone rubber is an excellent electrical insulation material that can effectively block the passage of electric current, and its insulation performance remains stable over a wide temperature and frequency range. Therefore, in the electronics and electrical industry, silicone rubber is widely used in the insulation layers of wires and cables and the packaging of electronic components. For example, some electronic components inside electronic devices such as mobile phones and computers that we use in daily life are packaged with silicone rubber, which can protect the components from the external environment while ensuring good electrical insulation and the normal operation of the devices.

（二）Diverse Classifications

Silicone rubber can be divided into heat-curing type and room-temperature curing type according to its vulcanization characteristics. Heat-curing silicone rubber includes multiple varieties such as methyl silicone rubber, methyl vinyl silicone rubber, and methyl vinyl phenyl silicone rubber. Among them, methyl vinyl silicone rubber is the most widely used. It has good processing performance, can be made into various complex-shaped products, has a fast vulcanization speed, and stable product performance. Room-temperature curing silicone rubber is divided into polycondensation reaction type and addition reaction type. Its advantage is that it can be vulcanized at room temperature without high-temperature and high-pressure equipment, making it easy to use and often used in on-site construction occasions such as building sealing and electronic device potting.

二、Silicone Oil: A Versatile Liquid Elf

Silicone oil is a general term for a class of polysiloxane compounds and is a type of organosilicon material that is liquid at a certain temperature. It has a unique molecular structure and physical and chemical properties and has indispensable applications in many fields.

（一）Unique Properties

1. Low Surface Tension

Silicone oil has a very low surface tension, which gives it good wettability and spreadability and allows it to form a uniform film on the surface of various materials. For example, adding silicone oil to cosmetics can make the products easier to apply evenly and make the skin feel smoother and more delicate.

2. High Chemical Stability

Like silicone rubber, silicone oil has strong resistance to chemical substances and is not easy to react with other substances. This makes it play an important role in some occasions where long-term contact with chemical substances is required, such as being used as a corrosion-resistant lubricant in chemical production.

3. Good Electrical Insulation

Silicone oil is also a high-quality electrical insulation material, and its electrical insulation performance remains stable under different temperature and humidity conditions. Therefore, in the electronics industry, silicone oil is often used as transformer oil, capacitor oil, etc., to ensure the safe operation of electrical equipment.

4. Physiological Inertness

Silicone oil has almost no effect on the human physiological system, is non-toxic and harmless, and does not cause adverse reactions such as allergies. This characteristic makes it widely used in food, medicine, and other fields in close contact with the human body, such as being used as food-grade lubricants and release agents.

（二）Diverse Types

Silicone oil can be divided into many types according to its chemical composition, such as methyl silicone oil, ethyl silicone oil, phenyl silicone oil, methyl hydrogen-containing silicone oil, and methyl phenyl silicone oil. Different types of silicone oil have different performance characteristics due to differences in their structures, thus being suitable for different application scenarios. For example, methyl silicone oil is the most common type of silicone oil, with excellent chemical stability, insulation, and hydrophobic properties, and is widely used in daily chemicals, plastics, rubber, and other industries. Polyether silicone oil has good hydrophilic, hygroscopic, and antistatic properties due to the polyether segments attached to the main chain or side chains of the silicone oil and is often used in personal skin care products, defoamers, softeners, and other fields.

三、Application Fields: The Ubiquitous Presence of Organosilicon Materials

Silicone rubber and silicone oil, with their unique properties, are widely used in various fields, almost covering all aspects of our lives.

（一）Applications in Daily Life

Silicone rubber and silicone oil can be seen everywhere in daily life. Many of the keys on the mobile phones and computer keyboards we use are made of silicone rubber, which not only has a comfortable touch but also has good elasticity and durability and can withstand frequent pressing. In the kitchen, silicone kitchen utensils such as silicone spatulas and silicone molds use the high-temperature resistance, non-toxic and odorless, and non-stick properties of silicone rubber to bring convenience and safety to our cooking. In personal care products, silicone oil is widely added to shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and other products. In shampoo, silicone oil can fill the damaged cuticles on the hair surface, making the hair smoother and easier to comb. In body lotion, silicone oil can form a protective film on the skin surface to prevent moisture loss and make the skin feel smooth and delicate.

（二）Applications in Industry

In the industrial field, silicone rubber and silicone oil play a key role. In the automotive manufacturing industry, silicone rubber is used to make sealing parts, gaskets, hoses, and other components of automobile engines, which can withstand high temperatures, high pressures, and various chemical media and ensure the normal operation of the engines. Silicone oil is used as the damping fluid in automotive shock absorbers, which can effectively absorb and relieve vibrations and improve the smoothness and comfort of vehicle driving. In the construction industry, silicone rubber is an important sealing material used for door and window sealing, curtain wall sealing, etc., in buildings. It can effectively prevent water, dust, and noise and has good weather resistance, allowing it to be used outdoors for a long time without aging. Silicone oil can be used as a concrete release agent to help concrete products be demolded smoothly and improve production efficiency and product quality. In the electronics industry, silicone rubber is used for the packaging and insulation of electronic components, which can protect the components from the external environment and improve the reliability and stability of electronic products. Silicone oil is used as a heat dissipation medium for electronic devices, which can quickly conduct heat away and ensure that the devices operate within a normal temperature range.

（三）Applications in the Medical and Health Field

As mentioned earlier, silicone rubber is widely used in the medical and health field, and both artificial organs and medical devices are inseparable from silicone rubber. In addition to being directly used as human implants, silicone rubber is also used to make medical catheters, syringe pistons, breathing masks, and other products. Due to its good biocompatibility and physical properties, it can ensure the safety and effectiveness of medical procedures. Silicone oil is also used in the medical field. For example, in some ophthalmic surgeries, silicone oil is injected into the eyeball to help retinal reattachment. It can remain stable in the eye, support and press the retina, and promote retinal repair.

As outstanding representatives of organosilicon materials, silicone rubber and silicone oil have brought many conveniences to our lives and promoted the development of various industries with their excellent properties and wide applications. With the continuous progress of science and technology, it is believed that they will play a greater role in more fields and create a better future for mankind.


Methyl Phenyl Vinyl Silicone Rubber MY 3830 SERIES