Why is Silicone a Highly Preferred Material in the Aerospace Industry

Silicone is a versatile, durable rubber material that functions as a useful and effective sealing solution. For industries such as aerospace, each material, seal, and part is extremely crucial for each application. So when it comes to sealing devices, silicone is highly preferable in the aerospace industry due to its toughness and superb temperature resistance property.

Engineering and designing in the aerospace industry is not an easy task. It requires strong execution and reliable materials to keep large and heavy objects safe in the air. With such high stakes, silicone makes for a trusted rubber material that can handle difficult applications with ease. Let us have a closer look at how silicone is used in the aerospace industry.

The Main Features of Silicone

Silicone is popularly known for its thermal stability, as it can withstand extreme low and high temperatures, while still retaining its flexibility. Therefore, when it comes to the harsh temperature applications of the aerospace industry, silicone leads the way.

Listed below are various other notable features that make silicone ideal for aerospace applications:

• Flame retardant
• Electrical insulation
• Low outgassing
• Displays excellent resistance to water, oil, acid, chemicals, bases, and fungus
• Low chemical reactivity
• Can be easily molded into custom shapes

These distinct features make silicone an ideal sealing material that can be utilized in a variety of applications.

Applications of Silicone in the Aerospace Industry

From the main cabin, cockpit to the outside windows and engine, silicone seals can be found almost everywhere in the aircraft. Since the primary goal of each aircraft carrier is to keep passengers and crew members safe, it is vital to ensure each vulnerable component is safeguarded from extreme weather conditions at high altitudes. This where the incredible resistance properties of silicone come into play.

The most common places you can find silicone in action are:

• The cabin – window seals, lighting, overhead bins
• The cockpit – electrical equipment and instrumental seals
• Turbine seals, engine gasket, molded seals
• Seals for cargo, food, and outer windows

In each aircraft carrier model, the altitudes, high speeds, and the shock of landing contribute to the excessive vibration and loud noises. Silicone drowns out the loud noise inside the aircraft and works against the vibrations to provide top-notch safety and comfort to the passengers.

Silicone applications can not only be found in the aircraft but also space capsules. From exterior protection, low temperatures to shock absorption in the atmosphere, and supporting engines to withstand high temperatures during liftoff, silicone is trusted to shield the spacecraft from the harsh environment of space.

With the reliable nature and high versatility of silicone, it’s no surprise why this tough material is chosen by the aerospace industry for decades. Even today, silicone is one of the trusted sealing solutions and is frequently used in the industry to tackle strenuous sealing scenarios.

We hope this blog has provided you with valuable insights about silicone. If you want to gain more information, then get in touch with us at contact@harkeshrubber.com. At Harkesh Rubber, we utilize various processes and technologies to take full advantage of silicone’s benefits and manufacture everything from simple rubber parts to complex seals.