The curing time, pressure and temperature of solid silicone vary depending on the type of silicone, formula, shape and size of the product, and curing equipment. The following are some common ranges:
Vulcanization temperature
High-temperature curing solid silicone: generally between 170℃~200℃. For example, when making silicone products such as baby pacifiers, this temperature range is often used to ensure that the silicone can be fully vulcanized and obtain good physical properties and chemical stability.
Medium-temperature curing solid silicone: The temperature is usually around 120℃~150℃. This temperature range can make the vulcanization process relatively mild and is suitable for the production of some silicone products that do not require particularly high temperature, such as some ordinary silicone seals.
Low-temperature curing solid silicone: The curing temperature is generally between room temperature and below 100℃. This type of silicone usually requires the addition of special vulcanizers or catalysts to achieve low-temperature vulcanization. It is often used in some temperature-sensitive materials or processes, such as the packaging of electronic components.
Vulcanization time
Quick curing type: At higher temperatures, the curing time may only take a few minutes to more than ten minutes. For example, solid silicone using a fast vulcanization system may have a vulcanization time of 5 to 15 minutes at a temperature of 180°C to 200°C, which can greatly improve production efficiency and is suitable for large-scale, high-efficiency production needs.
Conventional vulcanization type: The general vulcanization time is between 20 and 60 minutes. At a temperature of 150°C to 180°C, the vulcanization time of many solid silicone products will be within this range, which can ensure that the performance of silicone products is well balanced, with both production efficiency and product quality.
Slow vulcanization type: The vulcanization time may take several hours or even longer. For some special formulas or thick-walled products, in order to ensure that the silicone is completely vulcanized, a lower temperature and a longer vulcanization time may be used, such as vulcanization at a temperature of about 120°C for 2 to 4 hours, to avoid incomplete vulcanization inside the product due to too fast vulcanization.
Vulcanization pressure
Compression molding: The pressure is usually between 50 and 150kg/cm². When making products such as silicone seals, a pressure of about 50kg/cm² is generally used to ensure that the silicone can be fully filled and formed in the mold to obtain precise dimensions and good surface quality.
Injection molding: The injection pressure is relatively high, generally around 100~200kg/cm². Higher pressure helps to quickly inject silicone into the mold cavity, improve production efficiency and the density of the product, but the specific pressure needs to be adjusted according to factors such as the complexity and size of the product.
Extrusion molding: The pressure during the extrusion process is relatively low, generally around 20~50kg/cm², mainly to enable the silicone to pass through the extrusion mold smoothly, forming the required shape and size, while ensuring the smooth surface and stable size of the extruded product.
