Silanes and silicones

Silicones are used in sealants and adhesives, electronics encapsulation and thermal interface materials, coatings and water repellents for construction, personal care, textiles, release coatings, defoamers, medical devices and polyurethane foam production. Silanes improve adhesion and crosslink moisture-curing sealants and cable insulation.

Ask for the viscosity, molecular weight, functional group content, volatile content, purity and reactivity data. Chlorosilanes react with moisture to release hydrogen chloride and need dry handling. The EU restricts the cyclic siloxanes D4, D5 and D6 in many consumer products and limits them as impurities in silicone polymers, so ask for low cyclic grades where needed. Silicones in primary forms fall under HS heading 3910.