As one of the application forms of silicone rubber product materials, foamed silica gel is a soft and flexible elastomer compound, which is divided into three types: closed-cell type, open-cell type and hybrid type.

It not only has the properties of high and low temperature resistance, heat aging, UV resistance and high flame retardant properties of silicone rubber materials, but also has the properties of sound absorption, shock absorption, sealing and high resilience of foam materials. The specific properties are as follows:

1 High and low temperature resistance

Foamed silica gel has excellent mechanical properties under high temperature (above 200 ℃) environment, and still has certain toughness and elasticity, and the glass transition temperature (Tg) can be as low as -70 ℃. In general, the working temperature of foamed silica gel is -100 ℃ to 350 ℃. It can withstand the instantaneous high temperature of thousands of degrees, so it is often used in the production of high-temperature and heat-resistant coatings, such as in the aviation field.

2 High flame retardancy

Compared with polyurethane foam, foamed silicone can well meet the requirements of EN45545-2 in terms of flame retardancy. Its foam density is 0.08~0.15g/cm3, and its service life can reach 2~4 times that of polyurethane foam. In addition, it is also significantly superior to polyurethane foam in terms of comfort, foam density and environmental protection, so it is expected to replace traditional polyurethane foam in the aerospace, rail transit, and high-end automotive industries.

3 Electrical insulation

Foamed silica gel has good insulation, and after burning, the generated silica is still an insulating substance. In addition, foamed silica gel is not easy to scorch during arc discharge. Because of its small number of carbon atoms in its structure, and its reinforcing filler silica, it is suitable for high-voltage applications. And it is environmentally friendly, non-toxic and tasteless, and has no harm to human health, which also creates its excellent physiological inertia. At the same time, it is also very superior in terms of aging resistance.

4 Physiological inertia

The surface of the foamed silica gel is hydrophobic, therefore, the physical properties decrease little and the adhesion is poor in a humid environment, which can play a role in isolation.