Chemical properties and processing properties of textile silicone

Chemical properties and processing properties of textile silicone
Chemical corrosion resistance: refers to the ability of silicone to resist corrosion by chemical substances such as acids, alkalis, and organic solvents. During the textile processing process, silicone may come into contact with various chemical agents, so it is necessary to have good chemical corrosion resistance. For example, the silicone coating on the surface of textiles that have been dyed or printed must be able to withstand the effects of chemical substances such as dyes and additives, and will not swell, discolor, or deteriorate in performance.
Weather resistance: reflects the ability of silicone to maintain stable performance under different climatic conditions, such as sunlight, rain, and temperature changes. Silicone with good weather resistance will not age, crack, or powder during long-term outdoor use. Generally speaking, the changes in the physical properties of high-quality textile silicone should be controlled within a small range after long-term outdoor exposure tests.
Thermal stability: refers to the ability of silicone to maintain stable performance under high temperature conditions. In textile processing, silicone may undergo high-temperature treatments, such as hot pressing and baking, so it is necessary to have good thermal stability. For example, for some textiles that need to be fixed at high temperatures, the silicone coating cannot decompose or carbonize at high temperatures. Generally, silicone is required to maintain stable performance for a long time at a temperature of 150℃ - 200℃.
Processing performance
Viscosity: reflects the fluidity of silicone, usually expressed in centipoise (cP). The viscosity will affect the coating, printing and other processing techniques of silicone. Silicone with lower viscosity has good fluidity and is easy to process, but may sag; silicone with higher viscosity is the opposite, the coating thickness is easy to control, but may require higher processing pressure. In practical applications, it is necessary to select silicone with appropriate viscosity according to the specific processing technology. Generally, the viscosity of silicone used in the coating process is between 1000 and 10000cP.
Operation time: also called the pot life, which refers to the time from the mixing of silicone to the loss of fluidity or reaching an inoperable state. The length of the operation time is crucial to production efficiency and product quality. In textile production, silicone with appropriate operation time should be selected according to the requirements of production process and equipment. Generally, the operation time ranges from 30 minutes to several hours.
Vulcanization time and temperature: Vulcanization is the process of silicone changing from liquid to solid. Vulcanization time and temperature are important factors affecting the performance of silicone. Different types of textile silicone have different vulcanization conditions. Generally, the vulcanization temperature is between 100℃ and 200℃, and the vulcanization time ranges from a few minutes to dozens of minutes. Correctly controlling the vulcanization time and temperature can ensure that the silicone reaches the best performance state.