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Silicone rubber rolls are common materials used in high temperature settings due to its wide operating temperature range. Plastic, vs silicone, is highly susceptible to damage caused by both extreme high and extreme low temperatures. Silicone materials are valued for their strength and durability in abrasive settings involving heavy impacts, extreme temperatures, and environmental factors. Its ability to withstand extreme temperatures and resist tearing make it an excellent material for use in industrial settings. Additionally, silicone sheet material is resistant against damaging environmental factors, making it ideal for commercial and residential weather sealing applications. Furthermore, FDA approved silicone sheets are available for food service applications and are the safer alternative to plastic.
Why are Silicone Products Better Than Plastic?
Silicone products are better than plastic due to silicone’s durable physical and chemical properties. Silicone rubber rolls are best known for their wide operating temperature range of -103 to +500 degrees Fahrenheit which gives a silicone rubber part excellent strength in abrasive settings. Plastic, vs silicone, has a much narrower operating temperature range – for instance, “PVC melts a between 160 and 210 degrees Celsius (320 and 410 degrees Fahrenheit)” (sciencing.com). Due to its wide operating temperature range, silicone rubber rolls are commonly used to create custom silicone parts for use in any setting whether it be industrial, commercial, or residential. In industrial settings, custom silicone parts are often seen in the form of heat resistant seals and gaskets. Industrial grade silicone is extremely resilient and will not tear or break under heavy pressure or when being stretched. A silicone elastomer sheet will remain intact in these conditions even when exposed to extreme high or low temperatures, making it more reliable than plastic. For example, when exposed to extremely high temperatures, plastic tends to melt, and when exposed to extremely low temperatures, it tends to become brittle (Wikipedia.org). Plastic is easily damaged by high and low temperatures, making it less reliable in heavy-duty applications in any setting. Silicone rubber rolls also retain excellent chemical resistance against solvents, including acetic acids, ammonia gas, and sodium sulfate, allowing it to provide reliable applications in industrial settings involving chemicals.
Silicone rubber rolls are also commonly used in commercial and residential settings. In addition to its wide operating temperature range, silicone sheet material can also withstand harsh environmental factors, such as UV rays, ozone, oxygen, and wet weather conditions without suffering damage, making them ideal for use in commercial and residential settings. In commercial and residential settings, silicone materials are often used in electrical and weather sealing applications. Silicone’s wide operating temperature range allows it to remain intact when exposed to hot electrical currents and will allow it to remain flexible in the face of cold weather when used as weather seals in home or vehicle windows. Plastic materials are easily damaged by high and low temperatures, making them unreliable weather seals or electrical insulators. These durable properties of a silicone elastomer sheet make it the better option over plastic for maintaining a secure application.
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Is Silicone Safer than Plastic for Food?
Silicone is safer than plastic for food as it can withstand a wider range of temperatures without leaching dangerous chemicals into the food material. Silicone rubber rolls are available in commercial grade, premium grade, and FDA grade variations, allowing them to be used in a wide range of applications in any setting. FDA approved silicone is safe to use in food and medical grade applications and will not leach harmful byproducts or chemicals when heated. Case in point, “Health Canada states: "There are no known health hazards associated with use of silicone cookware. Silicone rubber does not react with food or beverages or produce any hazardous fumes” (mindbodygreen.com). Silicone rubber rolls are highly temperature stable materials that can stand up well against extreme high and low temperatures without suffering damage or leaching toxins into the food. Plastic, vs silicone, is not as safe to use in food or medical grade applications as they can leach harmful toxins when heated. For example, “Studies have found that certain chemicals in plastic can leach out of the plastic and into the food and beverages we eat. This leaching can occur even faster and to a greater degree when plastic is exposed to heat” (health.harvard.edu). FDA approved silicone can withstand temperatures as high as +500 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing it to remain safe and intact when used in food grade applications.
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Custom silicone parts are extremely durable and reliable products that are commonly used in industrial, commercial, and residential settings. A silicone elastomer sheet is a synthetic rubber material that is favored in industrial settings due to its wide operating temperature range. At temperatures as high as +500 degrees Fahrenheit, silicone sheet material will not melt, and at temperatures as low as -103 degrees Fahrenheit, it will remain flexible and resist embrittlement. Silicone rubber rolls are also available in an FDA approved variation, making it safer to use in food grade applications than plastic. On the other hand, plastic, vs silicone, does not retain as wide of an operating temperature range as silicone. Plastic is easily damaged by extreme temperatures and can leach toxic materials into food applications. Overall, silicone rubber rolls are superior to plastic as they can provide long-lasting applications in any setting without worry of damage.
Plastic vs Silicone
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