Most people believe that products made from silicone usually belong in the kitchen. They associate this material in everyday kitchen utensils like spatulas, baking mats, muffin molds, cake pans and other cookware. However, not everyone is aware that more items contain silicone.
This type of polymers is present in things that you often use every day, even in those you never expected. Since it comes in different forms like rubber, semi-viscous paste, greases, and oils, key industries use top quality silicone materials in their products. It is an ideal component to build different items because of its numerous benefits, including resistance to extreme elements like heat, cold, moisture, and ultraviolet radiation. It also comes with extreme flexibility, which makes it pliable to form any shape.
7 uses of Silicone in everyday Life
Here are 7 examples of items that use silicone for enhanced looks or better performance.
1. Electronics
Silicone plays a vital role in the electronics industry. Because it is a semiconductor, it can conduct electricity in specific conditions. It can also serve as an insulator. Because of this, using quality silicone could be an ideal choice when making transistors that can strengthen electrical signals. Some of the most common silicone applications in electronics include keypads, computer keyboards, and copier rollers. You can also find silicon in LED lighting technology.
2. Energy
Because silicon can resist the harmful effects of direct heat from the sun, it became one of the most useful components to create photovoltaic devices and solar panels. It helps in making these products durable, efficient, and cost-effective.
3. Construction
Architects and builders use quality silicone to construct or renovate residential and commercial establishments. They use silicone sealants and caulks for sealing gaps and crevices in homes and buildings. This material also improves energy efficiency by lowering energy use through the polyurethane foams installed for insulation. It is also an essential construction material that can help absorb atmospheric moisture to make the installation of glasses easier. Also, plumbers apply silicone grease in the O-rings found in brass taps and valves to avoid the lime from adhering to the metal.
4. Sporting Goods
Athletes and sports enthusiasts may not know it, but they are using silicone more than they expected. Swimmers and divers’ benefit from this material since it seals out the water in their diving masks and goggles. It is also present in the fabric used in most modern sportswear, mainly because it is durable, breathable and water repellent.
5. Paints and Coats
Nowadays, you can find a wide range of silicone-enhanced paints in hardware stores. When applied in the exteriors of houses, bridges, and cars, it allows them to withstand even the harshest conditions. The silicone coatings can also protect oil rigs, road surfaces, and highways from corrosion due to gasoline, oils, acid rain, and salt spray.
6. Medicine
Even doctors and health experts find silicone useful for different applications. The gel form of this material is present in wound care materials like dressings and bandages. At the same time, surgeons use this in various aesthetic and medical procedures like testicle implants, pectoral implants and breast implants. It is also a key material when making contact lenses.
7. Personal Care
You can also find silicone in plenty of personal care products that you use every day. It is one of the primary components of deodorants since it lessens the white residue in this toiletry. It also helps make shampoos, conditioners, and cosmetics products last longer. Sunscreen products also use this to have a higher sun protection factor (SPF) for better sun protection. Also, silicone makes skincare items like lotions and cleansers more spreadable.
The versatility of silicone makes it an essential product for key industries all over the world. Without it, these products would not function properly. They only need to look for quality silicone sources to make sure that the items that they will develop also meet the highest standards required by the market.
