Orientflex tells you 5 methods to distinguish silicone material

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Orientflex tells you 5 methods to distinguish silicone material

In modern industry, silicone and rubber are used more and more. But because of the endless emergence of manufacturers, it is difficult for us to identify the quality of these silicone tubes. So how to distinguish rubber and silicone. Next Orientflex tells you five methods.

Measure weight

Take out the sample and use an electronic scale or analytical balance to be accurate to 0.01 grams. Rubber weighs more. The one with a significantly larger specific gravity can be considered rubber.

Combustion method

First, a small amount of product is taken out and burned. Fluorine rubber generally burns with average effect, while CR and CSM burn out without fire support. NR and EPDM burn with relatively large flames. In addition, you can also carefully observe the burning state, color, and smell. If NBR/PVC is used together with glue, fire will splatter randomly when there is a fire source. It self-extinguishes after leaving the fire. The smoke is thick and has a sour smell.

Hot air aging

Take out the sample and place it in the aging box to observe the aging phenomenon. CR, NR, and SBR will break brittlely at 150℃. NBR EPDM is also flexible. Ordinary NBR will break when it rises to 180℃. HNBR will also break brittlely at 230℃. But fluorine rubber and silicone still have good elasticity.

Resistance to media weight gain

Samples can be taken from the finished product and soaked in a selected medium or media. Weigh it after a certain temp and time. And infer the type of material based on the weight change rate and hardness change rate. After soaking in 100℃ engine oil for 24 hours, the quality and hardness change rate of NBR, fluorine rubber, ECO, CR is very small. However, NR, EPDM, and SBR more than double the weight and change greatly in hardness. In addition, the volume expansion is obvious.

Cryogenic method

Remove the sample and place it in a suitable low temperature environment. Soak the sample in a low temperature environment for 2-5 minutes, and feel the softness and hardness at the selected temperature. For example, at -40℃, compared with silicone and fluorine rubber, which are also resistant to high temperatures and oils, silicone is relatively soft.