Jerome Melvin Klosowski

Durability of Silicone Sealants

The durability of silicone sealants is outstanding. This valuable behavior is a direct result of the unusual organic/inorganic hybrid nature of silicones and the consequent chemistry and physics of their interaction with the environment. Responses to a variety of environmental stresses are reviewed including those associated with weathering such as ozone and temperature extremes as well as electrical stresses such as corona discharge. The emphasis is on relating this behavior to the surface and bulk properties of silicones and particularly to the low intermolecular forces and high chain flexibility that are the fundamental consequence of the unique molecular architecture of silicones. Attention is paid to aspects such as the low surface energy and poor adhesion of silicone surfaces and to dynamic effects such as surface reorientation to changing environnments.