It’s entirely reasonable to assume that all variations of rubber have essentially the same properties and features. However, where silicone rubber is concerned, you couldn’t be more wrong. Even though they share some characteristics, silicone rubber and regular rubber are completely different beasts! Read on to learn how silicone rubber differs from regular rubber.
Silicone is a type of synthetic rubber made by modifying the naturally-occurring chemical element of silicon. Due to this modification, silicone rubber is resistant to heat, fungus, and chemicals. On top of that, silicone rubber stands up well against ozone and intense UV rays.
To put it simply, all elastomers are considered rubbers. These materials can undergo intense stretching stress and return to their original dimensions after the stress is removed.
What we’re discussing here today is natural rubber, which comes from the rubber tree. Natural rubber has great flexibility, but it does not hold up well against oil, grease, or fat. For that reason, you will rarely see natural rubber products used in the food industry.
Natural rubber is also susceptible to ozone and the weather, making it less than ideal as an outdoor material. However, this can also be seen as a feature if your product requires biodegradability.
The biggest difference between silicone rubber and natural rubber is that silicone rubber is made while natural rubber is harvested. When you look more closely, you’ll also see that natural rubber fails to hold up against certain environmental conditions, while silicone rubber thrives.
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Now that you know how silicone rubber differs from regular rubber, we hope you have a better understanding of the incredible properties of silicone. Its unique resistances make it the perfect material for so many applications—consider making your product out of silicone rubber!
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