With the vast supply of adhesives available, silicone adhesives stand out from the crowd. Based on elastomeric technology, silicone adhesives offer unparalleled flexibility and exceptionally high heat resistance, making them suitable for a wide range of applications in the electrical, electronic, automotive, aerospace and construction industries.
Silicone adhesives are available in varieties including two component systems that require the addition of a curing agent, one component systems that cure simply by the moisture in the air, UV or EB radiation curing adhesives that cure with exposure to a UV light or pressure sensitive versions that adhere to surfaces with very slight contact pressure.
In general, users can count on silicone adhesives to produce bonds that can withstand high temperatures (in some cases up to 600°F), remain flexible even after curing and resist chemicals including water. However, each type of silicone adhesive also offers its own set of advantages. One component systems emphasize convenience, with no mixing required and the ability to cure at room temperature. While a two component system does require mixing, it can cure in thicker sections than one part systems, which might be necessary for certain applications. UV or radiation cured silicone adhesives use UV lamps or an electron beam to cure without additional heating or excessive heat generation.
Silicone adhesives boast excellent electrical properties and can be formulated to be insulative with a high dielectric strength, or conversely electrically conductive. Many one part silicone adhesives release a corrosive entity, such as acetic acid, but there are special formulations that are totally non-corrosive and can be used with electronics. These are often used as a conformal coating for electronic circuit boards. Silicone systems are also used for sealing cables and sensors in both appliances and electronics.
Silicone adhesive applications run the gamut from household tasks to bonding and sealing in outer space. Their unique properties make them ideal for a wide variety of applications ranging from the assembly of components for commercial printers to bonding medical catheters. With their ability to resist water and other chemicals, silicone systems are used for sealing gaskets and engines in the transportation industry. They are also used for potting and heat sink attachment in electronic applications.
Master Bond offers a plethora of options when it comes to silicone adhesives. One of our most popular is MasterSil 711, a non-corrosive, one component system that offers extremely fast setting times of 3 to 5 minutes. A second option, MasterSil 151Med is optically clear and meets USP Class VI specifications for medical applications and biocompatibility. MasterSil 705TC, another noteworthy silicone system, is thermally conductive, electrically insulative, non-corrosive and suitable for heat transfer.
