Deep within the earth lies numerous substances dormant until tapped and extracted. These substances in their virgin state look useless when refined, combined with other elements becomes a gem. In this case, we have silicone, a gem obtained from a raw material, silica. It is used across all industries from healthcare, automobiles and aircraft to consumer products.Can Silicone Melt?” Is a concise inquiry into the fundamental thermal properties of silicone, addressing its susceptibility to liquefaction under extreme temperatures.
Silicone was discovered in the mid-1800s and its first application was in medical implants. Then, everyone was concerned about how safe silicone is for use in the human body. With successful surgeries and implant carried out, the fears and concerns wade off resulting in people trusting and opting for silicone body implants.
However, with the use of silicone in lots of industries like automotive, food production, a question engineers, bakers, and chefs frequently ask is what exact temperature point will silicone reach before melting? And I know that’s why you are here. Either you belong to one of the groups or you are about to use silicone in an extreme temperature condition.
That being said, there is no exact temperature point but a range of temperatures silicone can stand without melting. This article we will provide an in-depth look at the do’s and don’ts of silicone with high temperature.
General Knowledge of Silicone
As you know, silicone is a versatile synthetic material and called synthetic because it is man-made, not obtained naturally. It has an extremely high resistance to heat.
This material is made from elements such as silicon, oxygen, carbon and hydrogen etc. Diverting a little bit into chemistry, no fuss! relax, it’s just the head knowledge. We all know the combination of the elements gives a bond, just like in joining couples.
The bond in this case is a huge covalent bond that is pretty strong. These bonds don’t lose much of their strength when molten (your cream is in molten state).
The covalent bonds have an energy structure that is not easy to penetrate. As a result, silicone doesn’t melt quickly. In a nutshell, silicone melts at extremely high temperatures and conditions.
How Hot can Silicone get to before it melts?
Nowadays, silicone is used in the production of components that are exposed to extreme temperatures. To illustrate, in the automotive industry, silicone is used to produce spark plugs, gaskets, combustion chambers, and dampers, combustion chambers etc. Also, silicone is used to produce cookwares and bakewares that are put into hot ovens, pressure cookers, microwaves etc. We all know the heat that is generated in spark plugs, combustion chambers and ovens, so how long can silicone last before be melting?
According to research, it was discovered that silicone does not have a melting point. Itt will lose its elastic property and become solid when it reaches a particular temperature greater than it can withstand. For example, butter when placed on fire turns to oil. It is the same substance but a change of state. This is what happens to silicone, it changes from being elastic and flexible to rigid (solid).
After it has turned to solid, further exposure to heat will eventually make it combust(burn). To point out, silicone does not have a melting point but combust at a very high temperature.
Moreover, experts have it that silicone can withstand extreme temperatures up to 200 degrees celsius before deforming or changing. That’s an expert conclusion but it’s important to note that the quality of silicone differs from one manufacturer to another. So it is best to consult your manufacturers for the temperature range to use your silicone product. Besides, you can read the instructions to guide you. Now, let us consider how silicone behaves during combustion.
The behavior of Silicones during combustion
From research, the reaction of silicones throughout the combustion process is very unique. Its look-alike (plastic) burns immediately it is exposed to heat. On the other hand, silicone will only burn when the temperature (around 450 C) has been reached above its heat-resistance.
To describe the process, firstly, the material will begin to smoke leading to cracking and finally combustion will take place. During this period, the silicone will increase in volume and release volatiles. Immediately after this, a soft combusted material will break away and form into a fine powder.
What temperatures can different grades of silicone withstand?
There are different grades of silicone which serve various purposes. These silicone grades include weather resistant silicone, liquid silicone rubber (Used for making molds), medical grade Silicone(used in implants), food grade silicones, heat stabilized silicone, high temperature silicone rubber and so on.
The silicone grades differ in strength, heat-resistivity, and durability. As a result, different industries have the preferred silicone grades based on the nature of the purpose it will serve. For example, health care uses medical grade silicone, liquid silicone cannot be used to produce healthcare materials like gloves etc.
General Purpose Silicone
Examples include silicone sealants and gaskets which have a high-temperature limit of around 200 C to 250 C and also lower temperatures of -50 C to -75 C.
This type of silicone is used to make consumer products like chairs, tables in contrast to plastics. Their high heat-resistance makes them perfect material for applications with extreme temperature requirements.
Food grade silicone
They are used to make materials that will have contact with food. The materials include kitchen wares, baby nipple, bakewares etc. This type of silicone is used for cooking and storing food substances. Food grade silicones can withstand temperatures up to 200 degrees celsius.
Heat Stabilized Silicone
They contain additives that strengthen them to operate at temperatures up to 260°C.
High Temperature Silicone
High-temperature grades of silicone contain additives that make them suitable for applications up to 300°C for intermittent periods. However, continuous exposure to high temperatures over 300°C would cause the silicone’s properties to degrade with time.
Flame Retardant Silicone Grade
They can withstand intermittent temperatures up to 220°C. These materials contain additives which activate silicone’s self-extinguishing properties.
As an engineer, you need a silicone grade that can withstand up to 300 degrees celsius. Also, when choosing your silicone grade, you need to consider the rate at which the silicone will be exposed to heat.
For cooking purposes, silicone will not melt for common activities like frying, boiling, and roasting. In general, the purpose and duration of exposure to heat are the major determinants whether silicone will melt or not.
Conclusion
Silicones do not have an exact melting point in which they will melt. They only burn once their heat resistance limit is exceeded. With a little bit of research like reading manufacturer’s instructions or direct contact, you will be able to find the perfect silicone for your needs.
So, there you have it. That’s all you need to know about the silicone melting temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
- Can Silicone Melt in the sun: Silicone is not affected by the Ultraviolet rays from the sun. The Ultraviolet rays do not have enough energy to penetrate the covalent bond of silicone.
- Can Silicone Melt in the Oven: Generally, the answer is Yes and No. It depends on what you want to prepare with the oven.
But, silicone bakeware and cookware can withstand high temperatures up to 428 Fahrenheit to 220 degrees celsius without losing any of its properties.
Mostly, food baked inside the oven such as cupcakes, preparation of vegetables foods etc are done between this temperature range. So, for this reason silicone will not melt.
However, when you want to make food like pizza that requires up to 1000 Fahrenheit, silicone is not the right option to use. It will melt at this temperature.
- Will silicone melt in boiling water: Water boils at 100 degrees celsius and silicone has the ability to be stable up to 220 degrees celsius.
So the boiling point of water cannot break down the stability of silicone. Hence, silicone will not melt in boiling water. To put it straight, you can boil water with silicone.
- Do silicone burn: Unlike petrochemical products, silicone is non-flammable. Infact, it doesn’t get its origin from petrochemicals unlike plastics.
Silicone is obtained from silica(sand). Silicone only burns when the temperature is above 200 celsius.