F.A.Q.

Question: Why was the Silicone Material Database created?

Answer:
MatSilicone.com was created to be a free, searchable database of medical grade liquid silicones. Allowing users easy access to material property datasheets for LSRs.

Question: Is the data only for medical silicone?

Answer:
Currently yes, but our plans are to include other non medical silicones in the future.

Question: If I want to see values for items not showed in the database what should I do?

Answer:
Contact us and we will do our best to add them.

Question: What should I do once I have selected a silicone material?

Answer:
Contact the manufacture to determine you have current data sheet.

Question: Can medical silicone parts be steam sterilized?

Answer:
Medical molded silicone parts can be steam sterilized this includes autoclaving. Steam sterilization of medical silicone is very common and will not affect the physical properties of the silicone but will cause yellowing in medical grade silicone. There is no limit on the number of times the medical medical silicone parts can be steam sterilized due to the fact that the operating temperature is higher than the steam sterilization temperature. As always you should check with the silicone material manufacturer of the medical silicone for your application.

Question: How do you choose the right durometer?

Answer:
A way to choose the right durometer is to prototype your liquid silicone part in a durometer that you think will work and also mold liquid silicone parts in 10 durometer higher and 10 durometer lower.

Question: What colors are available for medical silicone?

Answer:
Medical silicone is available in a wide choice of colors; also colors can be matched to existing parts.

Question: How good an electrical insulator is liquid silicone?

Answer:
The dielectric properties of liquid silicone are the best of any available elastomers. Example, a ? inch thick piece of liquid silicone has the same dielectric properties as that of 18 inches of air.

Question: How does the surface finish of a liquid silicone part affect the co-efficiency of friction?

Answer:
Very smooth ? highly polished surfaces increase the co-efficiency of friction of liquid silicone parts. Textured surfaces decrease the co-efficiency of friction of liquid silicone parts. These properties of liquid silicone are helpful in the designing of medical silicone parts.

Question: What are the permeability gas properties of liquid silicone?

Answer:
Liquid silicone gas permeability is approximately 400 times that of rubber.

Question: Can medical grade silicone be bonded to medical grade silicone parts?

Answer:
Medical silicone can be bonded to medical silicone parts. When bonding medical silicone to medical silicone parts no surface pretreatment is required such as silicone primers, plasma or UV treatment. The medical silicone used to overmold the silicone part is not required to be the self bonding grade. When overmolding medical silicone to medical silicone parts the bond strength will increase over time. Other factors that affect the bond strength are contamination of the medical silicone part to be overmolded, and processing perimeters have a great affect.

Question: Can medical silicone be bonded to metal?

Answer:
Medical silicone parts can be bonded to medical metals. When bonding medical silicone to metal parts surface pretreatment is required such as silicone primers and plasma. The medical silicone used to overmold the metal part can be the self bonding grade. When overmolding medical silicone to metals the bond strength will increase over time. Other factors that affect the bond strength are contamination of the metal parts to be overmolded, and processing perimeters have a great affect.