What is the service life of silicone pads and silicone sealing rings?

What is the service life of silicone pads and silicone sealing rings?
The service life of silicone pads and silicone sealing rings is affected by many factors, such as the use environment, working conditions and material quality. The following is a specific analysis:
Use environment
Temperature: Silicone materials can generally work normally in the temperature range of -40℃ to 200℃. In this temperature range, the performance is relatively stable and the service life is also long. However, if it is in a high temperature environment for a long time, such as exceeding 200℃, the silicone will accelerate aging, become hard and brittle, resulting in a decrease in sealing performance and a shortened service life. In a low temperature environment, silicone may harden and lose elasticity, thereby affecting its sealing and buffering performance. For example, silicone sealing rings used in high-temperature parts such as automobile engines may need to be replaced in 1-2 years if they are in a high temperature state for a long time; while in household appliances under normal temperature, silicone pads and sealing rings may be used for 5-10 years without obvious damage.
Humidity: Humidity has relatively little effect on silicone because silicone has good water resistance. However, in a high humidity environment, especially when immersed in water for a long time, silicone may absorb a certain amount of moisture, causing volume expansion, affecting its sealing performance. If the water contains corrosive substances, it will further accelerate the aging of silicone. Generally speaking, the service life of silicone pads and sealing rings is not greatly affected in normal humidity environments, but in environments with long-term high humidity or immersion in water, the service life may be shortened to 3-5 years.
Chemical substances: Silicone has good tolerance to many chemicals, but when it encounters specific chemicals such as strong acids, alkalis, and organic solvents, chemical reactions will occur, causing the silicone to swell, deform, or degrade, thereby shortening its service life. For example, if it comes into contact with highly corrosive chemicals such as concentrated sulfuric acid and concentrated nitric acid, the silicone may be damaged in a short time; while in general chemical environments, such as weak acid and alkali environments, silicone pads and sealing rings may still be used for 3-5 years.
Working conditions
Mechanical stress: If silicone pads and sealing rings are subjected to mechanical stress such as stretching, compression, and twisting for a long time, their aging and damage will be accelerated. Frequent mechanical movement may cause the internal structure of silicone to be damaged, resulting in cracks, breakage, and other phenomena. For example, in some sealing devices that need to be opened and closed frequently, the silicone sealing ring may need to be replaced every 2-3 years due to repeated compression and stretching; while in a static sealing environment, the service life may be extended to 5-10 years.
Frequency of use: The higher the frequency of use, the faster the silicone pads and seals will wear out. In some frequently used equipment, such as sealing devices on industrial production lines, silicone seals may need to be replaced every few months; while in less frequently used equipment at home, silicone pads may not need to be replaced for many years.
Material quality
Raw material quality: High-quality silicone raw materials have better physical and chemical properties, which can ensure that silicone pads and seals maintain good performance for a long time. Poor quality silicone may age, deform, and other problems in a short time. For example, the service life of a seal produced with high-quality silicone raw materials may be 2-3 times that of a seal produced with ordinary silicone raw materials.
Production process: Advanced production processes can improve the quality and performance of silicone products. For example, silicone pads and seals produced by precision mold molding, high-temperature vulcanization and other processes have more uniform internal structures, higher dimensional accuracy, better sealing performance, and longer service life.