What are silicones?
Silicones are high performance polymers that can take a variety of physical forms, ranging from solids to water-thin liquids and semi-viscous pastes, greases and oils. They have literally revolutionised the performance of thousands of products that add quality to life in terms of enjoyment, comfort and safety. The major scientific advances that led to silicone production were made in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Commercial development, however, began in the 1940s. Read more.
Silicones have a chemical structure that is based on alternating atoms of silicon and oxygen. The originality of silicones compared with natural silica, resides in the fact that the silicon atoms in silicones carry organic groups that contain carbon. According to the nature of these organic groups and production and formulation conditions, the product obtained are extremely varied: their final texture can be fluid, viscous or pasty, elastomeric or rigid. Silicones outperform most other polymers: their remarkable spreadability combined with outstanding resistance to extreme temperatures, UV and IR radiations as well as to many other outside factors, place them among the best performing polymers available.
