As a silicone product purchaser, you need to purchase various silicone products. These include food-grade parts, industrial sealing rings, or medical components, etc. But have you ever wondered: How long does silicone actually last? Below, we will provide you with relevant information about the lifespan of silicone.
Average Lifespan of Three Different Grades of Silicone
First of all, you need to know that different grades of silicone have different service lifetimes. Below, we will introduce the lifespans of three common silicone grades for you:
Food-Grade Silicone Lifespan
- General food-grade silicone: The general food-grade silicone lifespan is usually 5 to 10 years. These products generally include water dispenser gaskets, baking mats, etc. This means you don’t need to frequently replace silicone products. However, you should ensure that it’s high-quality food-grade silicone. Also, you must use and maintain them correctly.
- Infant products: In addition, if your silicone products are for infants, you should replace them every 1 to 3 years. This is because infants are more vulnerable, and you must ensure the safety of the food-grade silicone.
Industrial-Grade Silicone Lifespan
- Standard environment: If your industrial silicone products are used in normal indoor environments and do not contact chemical solutions, the lifespan of these industrial silicone products is usually 3 to 8 years. Generally, these products include mechanical equipment seals, insulating silicone pads for ordinary electrical appliances, etc. They are mainly used for sealing, insulation, or shock absorption.
- Harsh environment: If your industrial-grade silicones are mainly used outdoors, their lifespan is approximately 6 months to 3 years. This is because they need to be exposed to high temperatures, sunlight, or chemical reagents for a long time. Common silicone products include outdoor silicone sealing layers, chemical pipeline gaskets, etc.
- Special silicone: To cope with extremely harsh environments, some silicone products adopt special formulas. These industrial silicone products are usually high-temperature resistant and flame-retardant silicone wires, photovoltaic insulation components, etc. If your silicone product belongs to this category, its lifespan can reach 8 to 12 years.
Medical-Grade Silicone Lifespan
- General medical-grade silicone: Medical-grade silicone service life can reach 1 to 3 years. If your silicone products are respirator mask pads, surgical instrument gear, etc., they can withstand high-temperature disinfection and still be non-toxic.
- Medical-grade silicone implants: If your medical silicone products need to be implanted into the human body, you need to choose implant-grade medical silicone. Usually, this medical silicone lifespan can reach 10 to 30 years. This type of silicone mainly includes tracheal stents, vascular catheters, etc.
Core Factors That Affect Silicone Lifespan
After learning about the service life of different silicone grades, you might wonder: Why do some types of silicone have a longer lifespan than others? In fact, it is the key reasons below that affect the service life of silicone:
Thermal Stability & Heat Resistance
The thermal stability has a significant impact on the lifespan of your silicone. The good thermal stability of silicone means silicone can still maintain good performance under extreme temperatures.
If your silicone is high-quality, it can withstand temperatures from -40°C to 230°C. And if you use industrial silicone, it can even withstand higher temperatures.
However, please note that if your silicone is exposed to unreasonable temperatures for a long time, typically above 250°C, it will degrade very quickly.
UV & Environmental Resistance
If your silicone products are outdoor seals, gaskets, etc., you need to pay extra attention. This is because they will be exposed to the outdoor environment for a long time. And ultraviolet rays will gradually degrade the silicone. So if your silicone is not protected well, then after being exposed to the sun for 1-2 years, it will turn yellow, harden, and crack.
And not only ultraviolet rays, but wind and rain will also further accelerate the erosion of the silicone.
Mechanical Wear and Material Fatigue
When your silicone is used in friction or movement scenarios, it is likely to be worn out. Suppose your silicone product is an automotive engine seal, then under long-term vibration and compression, it is prone to damage. And this will cause it to gradually become thinner, eventually lose its elasticity, and crack.
But if you use high-purity silicone, it can more easily reduce the damage to the silicone caused by mechanical stress. This effectively extends the service life of your silicone.
Chemical Corrosion
For silicone that is exposed to oil, cleaning agents for a long time, these chemicals will erode it. Eventually, this will lead to a shorter lifespan of the silicone.
For instance, when your medical silicone catheter is in prolonged contact with drug solutions or disinfectants, it may expand and crack. Even worse, it may also release toxins.
Therefore, it is very important for you to choose the suitable silicone grade for the specific chemical environment. Only in this way can the silicone not be easily eroded by chemicals. And then you can ensure the safety of the people in contact.
Practical Methods to Extend Silicone Service Life
Do you want to know some methods to extend the service life of your silicone? Here are some basic ways:
Select Good Silicone Raw Materials
If you want to extend silicone lifespan, the first step is to choose high-quality silicone. Good silicone uses high-quality raw materials, so it won’t degrade quickly. To select high-quality silicone, we will tell you some tips:
- Check the test report: This is the most direct way. You need to carefully examine the raw materials of the silicone to ensure it is high-quality and pure.
- Observe the appearance and texture: You can also further check the texture of the silicone by observing and touching it. Good silicone looks and feels smooth.
- Testing elasticity: In addition, you can also test its elasticity by stretching it to see if it becomes white or breaks easily. You should also check if it can quickly return to its original position precisely.
- Choosing the right usage temperature: Silicone has its own suitable temperature. If you choose general silicone, its usage temperature ranges from -40℃ to 200℃. If you want to apply silicone in a high-temperature environment, please select the high-temperature-resistant silicone that can withstand up to 300℃.
Adopt Protective Coatings
You need to apply protective coatings to the silicone based on its application scenarios.
- Ultraviolet protection coatings: For instance, due to complex weather conditions, the high-voltage silicone cable insulation layer used outdoors is prone to aging and cracking. However, if you apply an anti-ultraviolet coating on the silicone surface, it can effectively resist erosion.
- Chemical-resistant coatings: Furthermore, if your silicone product needs to come into close contact with chemicals, anti-corrosion coatings can help it maintain its performance for a longer time.
Optimize Storage Conditions
You need to follow these rules to create good storage conditions for silicone.
- Appropriate temperature: To extend the lifespan of the silicone, you should store it in a cool and dry place. Please avoid direct sunlight and high temperatures. Generally, the storage temperature of silicone is between 15℃ and 25℃.
- Avoid chemicals: In addition, you should also avoid it contacting with oils and other chemical solvents, as this may cause it to age rapidly.
- Protective packaging: Moreover, to further ensure the performance of the silicone, you need to use protective packaging to prevent it from being polluted or damaged.
Conduct Regular Maintenance
This includes regular checks and proper cleaning.
- Regular checks: To ensure the quality of the silicone, you need to regularly check its performance. You should inspect whether it has any cracks or wear and tear. These can significantly affect the lifespan of the silicone. In addition, you should also check its hardness. Both being too hard and too soft are abnormal, and you need to replace it promptly.
- Proper cleaning: Furthermore, you also need to know the correct method for cleaning the silicone. This can effectively prevent damage to the silicone caused by improper cleaning. When cleaning food-grade silicone, you should use mild soapy water and soft cleaning tools. Please avoid using corrosive chemical cleaners and hard-bristled brushes.
FAQ
Does Unused Silicone Expire?
Yes. Unused silicone also has a shelf life. If you use expired silicone, its effectiveness will significantly decrease. You can determine whether it has expired in three ways:
First, you need to observe whether its appearance has turned yellow, hardened, etc.
Then, you also need to check its smell. If there is an abnormal smell, it means it has expired.
Additionally, you need to test its elasticity to see if it turns white or even cracks.
If any of these situations appear, you should stop using it.
Why Does Food-Grade Silicone Turn Yellow after Long-Term Use?
Food-grade silicone will turn yellow after long-term use, mainly because of ultraviolet oxidation, high-temperature cooking, and food pigments adsorption. This is a normal aging phenomenon. And if it only turns yellow, you can continue to use it. However, if there are obvious damages, please replace it immediately.
Can Aged Silicone be Repaired to Extend Its Lifespan?
This depends on the degree of aging. For slightly yellowed silicone, you can extend its lifespan with a simple repair. However, for severely aged silicone, such as that with obvious cracking or hardening, we recommend that you not repair it. This is because its original structure has already been damaged.
What Is the Difference Between the Shelf Life and Service Life of Silicone?
They have distinct differences. The shelf life is the period during which the unused silicone maintains its original performance under suitable conditions. This is typically 12 to 24 months. While the service life is the period during which the silicone can maintain its normal performance under actual use. It generally ranges from 6 months to 30 years.
Is There a Difference in Liquid Silicone Lifespan and Solid Silicone Lifespan?
Yes, there is a difference. Under the same conditions, the lifespan of liquid silicone is longer than that of solid silicone. This is because liquid silicone is purer and has better performance.
Specifically, in the food and medical fields, the lifespan of liquid silicone products is usually 2-5 years longer than that of solid silicone products. Meanwhile, in the industrial field, liquid silicone is also more durable.
Final Thought
Understanding the relevant knowledge about the lifespan of silicone can help you choose more suitable silicone for your business. If you don’t know how to select silicone, please check Legensilico. We will answer your questions about silicone lifespan and provide you with silicone products that suit you best.
