There are significant differences between food-grade silicone and medical silicone in many aspects. The following is a detailed comparison of the two:
1. Material composition
Food-grade silicone: It is mainly made of inorganic polymer colloidal materials formed by silicic acid polycondensation. The main component is SiO2·nH2O, and its content is above 98%. This material is non-toxic and tasteless, with stable chemical properties, and has passed FDA food certification.
Medical silicone: It is mainly made of silicone material, the chemical name is polymethylvinylsiloxane, which is polymerized by dimethylsiloxane monomer and other silicone monomers under the action of acid or alkaline catalysts, and the relative molecular weight is generally 400,000~500,000. Medical silicone has good biocompatibility, is non-irritating, non-toxic, and has no allergic reactions to human tissues, and has very few body rejection reactions.
2. Uses and characteristics
Food-grade silicone:
It is mainly used for food containers, baby products, water dispenser catheters, coffee machine catheters, and baby bottle mouths, etc., to ensure that no harmful substances are released when in contact with food.
It has the characteristics of high transparency, non-toxic and tasteless, good softness and elasticity, resistance to kinking, no deformation, no cracking, long service life, cold and high temperature resistance.
The maximum temperature resistance can reach 200℃~250℃, which is enough to meet the needs of most food processing and storage.
Medical silicone:
Mainly used in medical devices, cosmetic repair, breast augmentation and other fields, such as pacemakers, heart valves, artificial joints, artificial tendons, artificial breasts, hydrocephalus drainage tubes, peritoneal dialysis tubes, etc.
Medical silicone has strong performance, good tearing and rebound, and can withstand strict disinfection and surgical operations.
It can withstand a high temperature of up to 400℃ and is suitable for environments that require high-temperature disinfection.
3. Price and procurement
Food-grade silicone: The price is relatively low because its production material cost is relatively low, and it has a wide range of applications and a large market demand.
Medical silicone: The price is relatively high because its production material cost is high and it needs to meet higher biocompatibility and safety requirements.
4. Regulations and standards
Food-grade silicone: It needs to comply with the requirements of food safety regulations such as the FDA to ensure that it will not cause harm to the human body when in contact with food.
Medical silicone: It needs to comply with the requirements of relevant medical device regulations, including biocompatibility testing, sterility testing, etc., to ensure its safety and effectiveness.
In summary, there are significant differences between food-grade silicone and medical silicone in terms of material composition, use and characteristics, price and procurement, and regulations and standards. Which silicone to choose depends on the specific application scenario and needs.