Silicone is generally superior to plastisol in terms of durability, especially in terms of extreme environmental adaptability, anti-aging and physical strength, while the durability of glue focuses more on color stability and wear resistance in daily use scenarios. The following is a specific analysis:
1. Durability advantages of silicone
Adaptability to extreme environments
Wide temperature resistance range: Silicone can withstand temperatures from -60°C to 250°C, and is not easy to deform or crack in high or low temperature environments. For example, the silicone leather covering the steering wheel of a car still has no obvious wear after 50,000 bending tests, while the genuine leather under the same conditions has cracks.
Chemical corrosion resistance: It has strong tolerance to grease, alcohol, weak acids and alkalis, and daily detergents will not damage it. This feature makes it perform well in scenes with frequent humid or chemical contact such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Anti-ultraviolet aging: The main chain of silicone does not contain carbon-carbon double bonds, and ultraviolet rays are difficult to destroy its structure. It is not easy to yellow or harden after long-term exposure to outdoor environments, and is suitable for making outdoor products (such as outdoor advertising and sports equipment).
High physical strength
Strong tear resistance: The silicone molecular chain has high flexibility, and the tensile strength can reach 3-5MPa, which is far higher than that of genuine leather (about 1-2MPa), and can withstand repeated bending without cracking.
Strong wear resistance: By adding modification technologies such as graphene powder, the wear resistance of silicone can be increased by more than 50%, which is suitable for high-frequency use scenarios (such as shoes and handbags).
Long service life
Under ideal conditions (25℃, humidity <60%), the service life of silicone can reach 8-10 years. Even in high-frequency use scenarios, its life can be significantly extended by strengthening the formula (such as anti-UV treatment, oil resistance level improvement) and regular maintenance.
2. Durability characteristics of plastisol
Excellent performance in daily use scenarios
Wear-resistant, water-resistant, and sun-resistant: The pigments in the silk-screen glue are specially treated with good light resistance and chemical stability, and can effectively resist the erosion of ultraviolet rays and external environmental factors. For example, after outdoor advertisements are printed with plastisol, they can still remain clear and bright for a long time in the sun or heavy rain, and are not easy to fade or fall off.
Strong washing resistance: The glue printing on the clothes can remain clear and complete even after multiple washing and wearing, and it is not easy to fade or crack, which extends the service life of the clothes.
Outstanding fatigue resistance
The performance of the high-quality glue (such as HF-523 glue) is stable in the continuous 24-hour uninterrupted printing test, which is suitable for printing scenes that require long-term and high-frequency use (such as industrial labels, packaging materials).
Strong solvent resistance
The plastisol has been tested for immersion in a variety of common solvents (such as immersion in 12 solvents for 24 hours without swelling and deformation), which can ensure that the printing process is not affected by ink solvents, and is suitable for scenes with frequent contact with chemicals (such as electronic product bonding, building decoration).
3. Summary of the durability comparison between silicone and glue
Dimensions Silicone Plastisol
Adaptability to extreme environments High temperature resistance, low temperature resistance,UV aging resistance, suitable for outdoor or extreme temperature scenes Daily UV resistance, water washability, suitable for indoor or mild outdoor environment
Physical strength Strong tear resistance, high wear resistance, suitable for high-frequency bending or friction scenes Medium wear resistance, suitable for flat printing or low-friction scenes
Chemical stability Resistant to grease, alcohol, weak acid and alkali, suitable for scenes with frequent chemical contact Strong solvent resistance, suitable for scenes with contact with ink and detergents
Service life Up to 8-10 years under ideal conditions, and the formula needs to be strengthened in extreme environments Longer life in daily use scenarios, but long-term outdoor exposure may fade
Typical application scenarios Automotive interiors, outdoor equipment, medical supplies, high-frequency industrial parts Outdoor advertising, clothing printing, electronic product bonding, packaging materials