Mold silicone, also known as mold silicone or mold silicone, is a material widely used in mold making. The following is a detailed introduction to mold silicone:
1. Composition
Mold silicone is generally composed of five components: base glue, cross-linking agent, catalyst (also known as curing agent), filler and additives. Usually, the base glue, cross-linking agent and filler are made into one component, and the catalyst is a separate component. Therefore, mold silicone is also called two-component vulcanized silicone or RTV-2 room temperature curing silicone.
2. Main characteristics
Good operating performance: Mold silicone has good operating performance and is easy to process and use.
Good fluidity: Silicone has good fluidity, low viscosity, easy to brush and pour, and can fully fill the mold cavity.
Small shrinkage: The smaller the shrinkage of mold silicone, the better, which helps to ensure the dimensional accuracy of the replicated product.
Good strength: Good tensile tear strength, can withstand certain external forces and pressures.
Stable properties: Silicone molds are not easy to hydrolyze, stable in nature, and can maintain their performance for a long time.
Adjustable hardness: The hardness of mold silicone can be adjusted according to demand to meet the replication needs of different products.
High temperature resistance and aging resistance: Silicone molds are resistant to high temperatures, acids and alkalis, aging, and have a long service life.
3. Application fields
Mold silicone is widely used in the replication and mold making of various products, including but not limited to:
Toy and gift industry: molds for making various toys and gifts.
Craft gift industry: molds for making various crafts and gifts, such as resin crafts, plaster crafts, etc.
Architectural decoration industry: molds for building decorative components, such as cornices, cultural stones, Roman columns, etc.
Unsaturated resin crafts industry: molds for making various unsaturated resin crafts.
Candle craft industry: used to make candle molds to achieve large-scale production of candles.
Simulation of animal and plant sculptures: molds for making various simulation of animal and plant sculptures.
4. Production method
The production method of mold silicone usually includes the following steps:
Prepare raw materials: prepare an appropriate amount of mold silicone raw materials, including main glue components and catalyst components, according to the hardness and size of the required mold.
Mixing raw materials: Mix the main glue component and the catalyst component in a certain proportion. Note that the amount of catalyst added should be moderate to avoid affecting the curing speed and performance of the silicone.
Brushing or pouring: Brush or pour the mixed silicone into the mold cavity. Note that the brushing or pouring should be uniform to avoid bubbles and lack of glue.
Curing and molding: Place the brushed or poured silicone mold at room temperature for curing. The curing time depends on the hardness of the silicone and the amount of catalyst added.
Demolding: After the silicone mold is completely cured, it can be demolded and the copied product can be taken out.
5. Precautions
During the mold making process, ensure that the raw materials are mixed evenly to avoid uneven curing.
When brushing or pouring silicone, pay attention to controlling the thickness and uniformity of the brushing or pouring to ensure the dimensional accuracy and surface quality of the copied product.
The amount of curing agent added should be moderate. Too much or too little will affect the curing speed and performance of silicone.
It is recommended to use the made silicone mold after 24 hours to ensure its stable performance.
In summary, mold silicone is a mold making material with excellent performance and wide application. Under the premise of correct use and production, it can produce high-precision and high-quality replica products.