AEROSIL fumed silicas from Evonik serve as reinforcing fillers in silicone rubber applications improving mechanical properties such as tensile strength, tear resistance and, almost incidentally, ensures that the rubber has good transparency.To further expand the range of specialty applications, the leading specialty chemicals group now presents a new generation of silicas - AEROSIL 200 SP and AEROSIL 300 SP. These have the advantage of creating even greater transparency in the end products. The many applications of the new SP grades include use in silicone articles for medical technology, the electrical industry, sports accessories and the food sector (for example in silicone rubber nipples).
The new SP grades can be used in a variety of applications. These include liquid silicone rubber (LSR) for injection molded articles and high-temperature vulcanizing (HTV) silicone rubber used for compression molded parts. In addition to enhancing transparency in the end product, AEROSIL 200 SP and AEROSIL 300 SP also produce excellent mechanical properties. Both the silicas can be rapidly hydrophobized "in situ" and are easily processed at lower temperatures than have been used in the past. The advantages for Evonik customers are shorter production times and lower energy costs.
Other product properties that are important in silicone rubber applications can also be improved by the use of AEROSIL 200 SP and AEROSIL 300 SP. One Such improvement involves storage stability (crepe hardening effect). This is a major advantage, particularly for processors of silicone compounds, who must be able to process the compounds without any problems even after long transport and storage times.
The new AEROSIL 200 SP and AEROSIL 300 SP are available in ten kilogram paper bags with standardized barcodes on each bag and are supplied on 180 kg CP3 pallets.
The new products will initially be launched at the Silicone Elastomers Conference 2008 to be held in Munich on March 12 and 13. The speaker will be Dr. Mario Scholz, head of Technical Service for silicone rubber in Evonik`s Inorganic Materials Business Unit. He will discuss in detail the development of AEROSIL 200 SP and AEROSIL 300 SP, the benefits they offer users in the silicone rubber industry, and their differences from, and advantages over, current AEROSIL products.
