When it comes to choosing a sealant, most people automatically think of silicone. In fact, most of the time, people use the word ‘silicone’ when they mean ‘sealant’. In reality, there is a range of different sealant options. People often compare MS polymer sealants and silicone sealants.
Here at Forgeway, we manufacture a range of industrial adhesives and MS polymer sealants. While we don’t manufacture silicone sealants, we have had plenty of experience with them over the years. We want to help you choose whether silicones or MS polymer sealants would be the best choice for your application.
This article will go through the advantages and disadvantages of both chemistry types to help you choose which one could be a good fit for your needs. By the end of the article, you will have a greater understanding of both sealant types and become an educated buyer.
Silicones are synthetic polymers made of a combination of silicon, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen.
They are the most common type of sealant and are highly popular in construction applications as they are readily available in most builders’ merchants.
Like ‘Coke’ becoming the household name for most cola-flavoured soda drinks, silicone has become the household name for most sealants.
If someone says ‘I need a silicone’, they most likely mean they need a sealant.
They are often referred to as the ‘cheap and cheerful’ sealant, as they usually don’t cost much and will do the job.
MS polymer sealants are a type of sealant made from a hybrid of silane-modified polymer and polyether.
They are often referred to as hybrid polymer sealants and were formulated to combine the characteristics of silicone and other sealant types, such as polyurethanes.
They are typically considered the premium sealant option compared to the ‘cheap and cheerful’ silicones, but you can also find inexpensive MS polymer sealants.
Silicones offer several advantages and disadvantages, such as their high-temperature resistance, ease of use, and lower price. In this section, we will go over these pros and cons in more detail.
A typical silicone sealant will have a temperature resistance of up to 250℃, which is a major advantage over MS polymer sealants.
The increased temperature resistance of silicones means you can use them in applications that could experience increased temperatures without affecting performance.
Silicone sealants are also usually low viscosity, which means they can be easily applied using a caulking gun without any special tools or techniques.
The low viscosity of silicone sealants also makes it often easier to get a good finish for inexperienced sealant users. However, skilled operatives will not find MS polymer sealants any more difficult to work with.
Another advantage of silicone sealants is their lower cost compared to other types of sealants. They are widely available and are often less expensive than other sealants.
Whilst silicones are often the cheaper sealant solution, they are often cheaper for a reason. A lower price means lower quality.
Cheap silicone sealants (around £3 a tube) will often have poor mould resistance. If you intend to use the sealant in a humid environment, cheap silicone will likely start to mould after 6 months.
Another disadvantage to using silicones is their lack of overpaintability. Due to the hydrophobic nature of silicones, you will not be able to paint over them.
Perhaps the biggest disadvantage of silicones is their poor adhesive performance. If you intend to use the sealant for semi-structural bonding, a silicone sealant is likely to perform poorly.
The silicone sealants that are readily available at low cost will not have enough strength or ‘grab’ to be used for bonding purposes.
You cannot use most silicones for bonding purposesMS polymer sealants also have a few advantages and disadvantages. This section will go over these in more detail.
The main advantages of MS polymer sealants are their strong adhesion and flexibility characteristics. MS polymer sealants can adhere to a wide range of materials, including metals, plastics, and even glass.
Their flexibility makes them a good choice for applications where movement or vibration is expected, such as joints and seams. They can also be used in structural bonding applications, such as bonding panels, as they have a higher strength than silicone sealants.
MS polymer sealants are also overpaintable. This means that you can paint over them after application, unlike silicone sealants. This makes them ideal for use in areas where you need to achieve a specific color or finish.
One of the main disadvantages of MS polymer sealants is their higher cost compared to silicone sealants. They are generally considered to be a premium sealant due to their superior properties.
Another disadvantage of MS polymer sealants is their longer curing time. While they do form a skin faster than silicone sealants, they can take longer to reach full cure. This means that you may need to wait longer before putting the sealant into use.
MS polymer sealants also have lower temperature resistance than silicone sealants. While they can still withstand moderate temperatures, they are not suitable for use in applications that will experience extreme heat above 150℃.
When choosing a sealant for your application, there are several factors to consider. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
Answering these questions will help you determine whether silicone or MS polymer sealants are the best choice for your application.
Now that you know more detail about each option, it’s time to make a decision. However, it’s not always easy to know what to choose.
Here at Forgeway, we manufacture a range of industrial adhesives and sealants including MS polymers.
Whilst we would always recommend MS polymer sealants, there are often occasions where we would tell a customer to use silicones instead.
If you want a cheap and cheerful sealant or you want a sealant with high temperature resistance, a silicone would be best for you.
If you would prefer to spend more on a higher quality sealant that has better mould resistance and greater adhesive properties, an MS polymer would be best for you.
If you’re still unsure about which sealant to explore further, you can get in touch with an expert to help you find the best sealant for your application.
Or, if you want to do a bit more research yourself, our article on MS polymers will give you more detail about these sealants. Click here to read more.
Over the past few years, silicone products have become an in-demand commodity in the global market. One of the main reasons is the rise of conscious consumerism where people are now anxious about using harmful plastic items.
Silicone material, although synthetically made, has been proclaimed to be non-toxic and a better alternative to plastic. However, one argument is left hanging – is it really safe to use? To be more enlightened about the particular matter, here are the underlying ideas you need to know about silicone. Let’s tackle them one by one.
First things, let’s avoid the confusion about silicon and silicone for they are two distinct things. Silicon is a chemical element that is ranked 14th on the periodic table, whereas silicone is a synthetic substance mainly composed of silicon, hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen.
Source: Freepik
Generally, silicone can be regarded as part of the rubber family but if the term plastics is described extensively, it is a combination of synthetic plastic polymer and synthetic rubber. This is why it can also be used to create hard malleable rubber-like products, hard resins, and spreadable fluids.
Since silicone is malleable and flexible, it can be shaped and hardened or softened into basically anything. Though it is like plastic, this material is considered unique among other plastics due to its durability and temperature resistance features, aside from its low reactivity with other chemicals.
Source: Wetop
Furthermore, while silicone is water-resistant, its gas permeability is also relatively high, making it suitable for industrial and medical applications where airflow is necessary. More than that, it is also non-stick, non-staining, and easy to clean, making it a well-known substance used in producing toys, baby products, cookware, bakeware, and kitchenware.
Silicon is considered the second most abundant element in the world since it is made from sand. However, although it is readily available, its cost is comparatively high to other plastics and rubbers due to the conversion process of sand into silicon is pricey. Also, while it is in trend, silicone is not widely used.
Source: Wetop
Nevertheless, many businesses think that the cost of silicone is reasonable seeing that it is the best in class elastomer for extreme temperature environments where other plastics and rubbers cannot function.
Several experts and authorities regard silicone as safe for food use since silicone rubber does not react with food and beverages, or even produce any hazardous gas. Also, there were relative reports in 1979 from the US Food and Drug Administration about silicon dioxides (raw material for silicone products) being safe for food-grade utilization.
Source: Wetop
On the other hand, some ongoing reports claim that silicone is harmful. How come? There are chances that some silicones contain harmful chemicals and these tend to pass onto our food – although they are not intentionally added. They are the impurities that resulted from silicone production. In order to avoid these impurities, it is best to use platinum-grade silicone.
Still, silicone impurities can also be intentionally added, and these are found in silicon rubber or added to personal care products (additives like phthalates in soaps, shampoos, lotions, nail polish, etc.). For that reason alone, silicone components may be deemed toxic as well.
Moreover, be mindful in choosing quality silicone bakeware for there are some lower qualities that contain harmful chemicals. These products discolor over time or produce odor while cooking. But fret not, for you can quickly avoid these low-quality silicones.
To verify the silicone quality, simply pinch and twist a bit part of the silicone rubber. If the twisted part displays white color, then it signifies the material is not pure silicone. This is because pure silicone does not change its color.
What’s more, note that any food contact product, including silicone cookware and kitchenware, must conform to the FDA guidelines. These guidelines allow the use of silicone polymers in cookware and kitchenware. But know this, unhealthy additives like phthalates are regarded as safe beneath these guidelines. Hence, FDA approval does not give you the assurance that the silicone products you use in the kitchen are truly secure.
In a nutshell, there is no doubt that silicone substance is beneficial for many applications. Also, it can be considered a better alternative to plastic for it is durable, temperature resistant, possesses high gas permeability, and lasts longer. Moreover, avoid low-quality silicones and invest in platinum-grade ones.
For top-notch silicone products, check out Wetop products at this website https://www.wetopsilicone.com/. Our company specializes in silicone kitchenware, silicone baby products, and silicone electronic accessories. Click the link to know more!
Source Image: Silicone Products 101: Things You Should Know About This Synthetic Substance
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