Many companies today enjoy the benefits of silicone rubber products from companies like BISCO. They see use in a variety of sealing and waterproofing applications. However, not everyone knows there’s a difference between silicon foam and sponge materials. Here is information about both products to help you make an informed decision.
Why You Need to Know the Difference
Suppose you need a product to cushion parts or materials. Maybe you’re looking for something with sponge properties to soak up as much water as possible. On the other hand, some companies need to comply with fire resistance or must have low toxicity. These are several good reasons to understand your needs.
Foam
To create foam, you need something to make bubbles, so manufacturers use blowing agents. This is usually in the form of gas or chemicals which cause liquid silicone rubber to form many tiny bubbles. After this process, manufacturers use liquid polymers to give materials like BISCO Silicone foam various properties. Polymers have long chained molecules and can produce a very flexible or stiff product, depending on their cellular structures.
Sponge
The process of making silicone sponge and foam rubbers are similar. In fact, companies like BISCO manufacture both products for their customers. However, sponge rubber products have two separate classes. You can choose open or closed-cell sponge rubber.
Open-cell
Open cell sponge silicone rubber has many cells which are all connected to each other. This allows air and liquids like water to pass from one cell to another. To make open cell products, manufacturers pour uncured rubber into molds and add an ingredient like sodium bicarbonate. This creates an open-cell structure during the process of baking.