Silicone Types

Silicone performance depends on more than the base material alone. Explore practical articles on material types, key properties, testing methods, and application-specific requirements to support informed decisions in development and design.

Silicone Types at a Glance

Silicones are versatile materials used across countless industries and valued for their heat resistance, flexibility and durability. They serve as indispensable components in products and processes, ranging from medical devices and kitchen utensils to applications in construction, electronics and the automotive industry, where reliable performance and consistent quality are essential.

Article Overview

Silicone Properties

Explore key silicone properties including temperature resistance, elasticity, electrical insulation, durability and environmental resistance.

Food-Grade Silicone

Food-grade silicone is a versatile and especially safe material that is used in many areas of everyday life.

Medical Silicone

Medical silicone is a high-purity material that was specially developed for use in medical technology and in direct contact with the human body.

RTV Silicone

RTV silicone is a versatile silicone rubber that cures at room temperature and is used in many industrial sectors.

LSR Silicone

LSR silicone is one of the most versatile materials in modern plastics and elastomer processing.

What Is Silicone?

Silicone is a synthetically produced material based on silicon, oxygen and organic groups. This molecular structure gives it a combination of properties that few other materials can match: it remains dimensionally stable from deep sub-zero temperatures to over 200 °C, stays permanently elastic and withstands moisture, UV radiation and many chemicals.

Depending on its composition, silicone can be processed as a liquid, paste or solid. It is precisely this versatility that explains why the material is encountered just as often in medical technology as in automotive manufacturing, electronics or the home kitchen.

Which Types of Silicone Are There?

Which type of silicone is the right one depends on the application. Food-contact applications call for a correspondingly certified material, and wherever curing needs to happen at room temperature, RTV silicone is the obvious choice.

When silicone is used in the medical field, biocompatibility takes priority: the material must be well-tolerated, pure and safe throughout its entire service life.