How are Silicone Rubber Sheets Different from Neoprene Rubber Sheets
Rubber gaskets are protective accessories that shield different parts of machinery from the elements and adverse weather conditions. They help keep out dust, dirt, debris, and water, keeping machines free from these damaging impurities. To ensure optimal performance, rubber gaskets must exhibit flexibility, versatility, and durability. For this, you need quality materials such as neoprene and silicone rubber sheets. Both rubber types make excellent gasket materials, as they exhibit all three characteristics needed by high-performance gaskets.
Silicone rubber comes in sponge, foam, and solid varieties. This makes it a versatile option for various gasket applications. Silicone is also a highly resilient material, boasting temperature stability and resistance to a wide variety of substances. This renders it generally inert. Silicone rubber is also an ideal material choice for gaskets, as it creates a very tight seal and can efficiently repel water. Silicone’s ability to withstand extreme temperatures also makes it superior to other types of rubber for gasketing. In other applications, solid silicone makes an excellent reinforcement to metal enclosures. Silicone sponge, with its closed cell structure, makes a suitable material for low closure force environmental sealing applications.
Neoprene rubber, on the other hand, is a synthetic material that is equally versatile and displays good resistance to the elements. Highly durable, neoprene can stand temperature highs up to 120 degrees and lows down to -40 degrees (Celsius). Neoprene has excellent chemical stability and offers good resistance to petroleum-based fuels and oils. Other advantages of using neoprene rubber sheets for various applications include flexibility over a substantial temperature range, corrosion and water resistance, environmental resilience, and good chemical stability. Neoprene also remains strong against weathering and damage from common fluids. It offers good all-around physical properties that makes it ideal for different applications, including, but not limited to, rubber gaskets for various machineries.
