Can silicone products still be used if they become brittle?
This article will discuss the reasons why silicone products become brittle and whether silicone products that become brittle can continue to be used.
Main reasons for the brittleness of silicone products
1. Structure or mold design of silicone products
Irrational design: If silicone products' structure or mold design is unreasonable, such as being too thin or too many right angles, silicone products may break easily during molding.
Solution: Improve this problem by modifying the structure of the product or mold, such as slightly thickening the thin parts and slightly rounding the right angles.
2. Production process conditions
Excessive molding temperature: If the temperature is too high during the molding process, the molecular chains in the silicone material will be damaged, making the silicone products brittle.
Excessive vulcanization time: Excessive vulcanization time may also cause silicone products to become brittle, because too long vulcanization time will cause the silicone material to be over-crosslinked, reducing its flexibility and elasticity.
Poor ventilation or high temperature during secondary vulcanization: During the secondary vulcanization process, if the ventilation is poor or the temperature is too high, the silicone products will also become brittle.
Solution: The above problems, can be solved by lowering the molding temperature, controlling the vulcanization time, and adjusting the ventilation and temperature of the secondary vulcanization.
3. Quality of silicone raw materials
Poor quality of raw materials: If the quality of silicone raw materials themselves is poor and the tear strength does not meet the requirements, the silicone products made will be brittle.
Adding silicon powder: To reduce costs, some silicone product manufacturers fill silicone powder into the rubber compound, which will also reduce the tear strength of silicone products, making them more brittle.
Solution: Use pure rubber compound without silicon powder for production. For products with slightly higher requirements, it is necessary to use rubber compounds from big brands for production. Special products may also need to be produced with high-tensile glue (weather glue) to meet the tear strength requirements.
4. Environmental factors
Long-term exposure to sunlight: Silicone products exposed to sunlight or artificial light for a long time will affect their flexibility and elasticity, resulting in embrittlement.
Low ambient temperature: In a low-temperature environment, silicone products will harden and lose their original elasticity and ductility, which may also cause them to become brittle during use.
Silicone aging: Due to the aging of silicone materials, their molecular chains may deteriorate and break, which will affect the flexibility and durability of silicone materials, resulting in embrittlement problems during use.
Can it still be used after it becomes brittle?
Whether silicone products can continue to be used after becoming brittle depends mainly on factors such as the degree of brittleness, usage scenarios, and safety. The following is a detailed analysis of this issue:
1. Degree of brittleness
If the silicone product is only slightly brittle, it may just be surface aging or environmental impact, and the internal structure and performance may not be greatly affected. In this case, if the product's use does not require high strength or the brittle part can be repaired by simple treatment (such as grinding), then it may still be used.
If the silicone product is severely brittle, or even cracked or broken, its overall performance and safety will be seriously affected. At this time, continuing to use this product may cause failure, damage, or safety hazards, so it is not recommended.
2. Usage scenarios
The usage scenarios of silicone products have an important impact on whether they can continue to be used. For example, if silicone products are used in food contact or medical fields, the requirements for their safety and durability will be very high. In these cases, even if the silicone products are only slightly brittle, they may no longer be suitable for use.
For some non-critical or low-requirement scenarios, such as use as decorations or simple tools, silicone products may still be acceptable after being slightly brittle.
3. Security
When a silicone product becomes brittle, its surface may become more susceptible to wear or chipping. This debris may pose a potential hazard to human health, especially in food contact or medical applications.
In addition, if silicone products release harmful substances (such as certain additives or plasticizers) during the brittle process, their safety will be further questioned.
Prevention and improvement measures
1. Source control: strictly screen raw materials and avoid using low-quality rubber containing silicon powder.
2. Process optimization: adjust the vulcanization temperature and time to ensure good ventilation for secondary vulcanization.
3. Design improvement: avoid too thin or right-angle structure, and use rounded transition to disperse stress.
4. Environmental management: avoid long-term exposure to the sun or extremely low-temperature environments, and regularly check parts that are prone to aging.
Conclusion
Whether a silicone product can continue to be used after it becomes brittle requires a combination of factors.
In most cases, if the product is severely brittle or is used in critical areas (such as food contact or medical applications), it is not recommended to continue using it.
If the product is only slightly brittle and is used in non-critical areas, it should be carefully inspected and evaluated for safety and suitability before use.
In any case, if the user has any questions about the performance or safety of the silicone product, it is best to consult a professional or manufacturer for accurate advice.
