Liquid silicone is a popular type of silicone polymer and you will find that this is used to make moulds for so many products especially when it comes to different industries. They can be used for resin, rubber foam and even low melting point metals. While you may not know this, there are so many household items that are made of liquid silicone such as rubber spatulas and baking dishes.
The reason that many people prefer silicone liquid is that it comes with a lower cost but gives so many beneficial properties with regard to flexibility, strength and viscosity. And this is a very versatile material that can be used in so many different ways. The reason that silicone is used as a mould for many alloys is that they have a high resistance to heat, cold and even fire. So if you are working with metals that melt in low temperatures, you can use a silicone mould instead of a ceramic mould that is the norm. And making this switch will reduce the costs of your operation. And one of the reasons that silicone moulds are used in the production of household goods especially those coming into contact with food is that they are chemically inert. So they will not react with the food.
The chemical structure of silicone is such that it is water resistant which contributes to its durability. Many non-stick bakeware is produced using liquid silicone. As silicone offers a high level of versatility, the manufacturer can actually play around with what they want for the specific requirements of the item. They can add chemicals to the silicone mixture that will affect its properties. For example, you can make one product as an electrical insulator and another that can be a conductor. And there are so many customisation options available with liquid silicone as you can change the opacity, firmness and colour of the liquid silicone. You can even change its texture so it can be used in a variety of applications.
In an industrial level, liquid silicone is made into moulds or into many other products with liquid injection moulding. The silicone will be added to a mixer by pumping through a plunger. There are many colourants, catalysts and other chemicals added in this process. The mixing reaction will be carefully controlled by a metering unit. The silicone is not added in one go; instead, it will be slowly released along with the release rate of catalysts. The catalysts are what hardens the mixture and these usually include platinum. A mould clamp is used to seal the mould until the silicone sets completely. This can be removed once the product is completed. This method ensures that the silicone mixes more evenly creating products that are consistent structurally and chemically. So the products will not have any quality variations. And you can also repeat the same process with the same results. You can also reduce the setting times for the rubber with this process.
