At NEDC, it is all about materials. One of the more versatile materials that NEDC deals with, is silicone foam rubber. These materials come in a number of thicknesses, colors, and firmnesses. The wide availability of these materials along with their properties make them great for silicone foam gaskets.
What is the Difference between Silicone Foam, and Silicone Sponge?
The differences are small, and nuanced – however there are small differences in performance. For example, typically the differences are density, elongation, tensile and other things for similiar firmnesses of silicone sponge vs silicone foam. However, many of the performance characteristics are similiar. The big difference between the two is how its made. Essentially silicone foam is cast onto liners and baked to thickness, while silicone sponge is made from a clay like material that is baked to thickness through either a calender or a mold.
Properties of Silicone Foam Rubber:
Typically, silicone foam gasketing materials are manufactured by the bigger rubber manufacturers such as Saint Gobain or Rogers Corporation. All the silicone foams below have in common that they are silicone foam that are UL94 V0 flame retardant, and are lightweight solutions. These foams have the common fixings of silicone, high volume resistivity for insulation, great resistance to ozone, and ultraviolet light. They are often used in applications where a low compression set is required over a long-term application, either outdoors, or indoors.
Applications that Silicone Foam Rubber Is Used In:
-Outdoor LED Lighting (Street Lamps, Consumer Lighting)
-Electronics (LCD Gaskets, Cushioning for Impact Resistance)
-Outdoor Enclosures (Power Distribution, or Telecommunications)
-Indoor Lighting (dust gaskets – LED Gaskets)
Available Silicone Foam Rubber Gaskets/Products
Saint Gobain NORSEAL® F12 Silicone Foam, Soft Cellular Silicone Foam. This foam is great for shock absorption and gasketing. It oftentimes serves as a cushion in applications. The compression deflection(psi) @ 25% is 3. It comes in multiple colors, gray(standard), white, black, or brown. It has a fabric textured feel on one side of the foam. The thicknesses of this foam range from .062’’’ to .500’’ in thickness.
Saint Gobain NORSEAL F20 Silicone Foam, This medium density silicone foam is similiar to F12 Silicone Foam. However, it meets the specification AMS-3195. In addition, it has a 25% compression at 10 psi. Has a standard color of gray, and exhibits great compression set performance. Its available from .063” to .500” thick.
Rogers Corp. BISCO® HT-800, Medium Cellular Silicone Foam. NEDC uses this foam in applications requiring less compression but in the need of a good solution in gasketing. It exhibits the properties of a closed-cell foam material with low water absorption. The compression deflection(psi) @ 25% is 9. This foam comes in a variety of colors, gray(standard), black, and red. BISCO® HT-800 can be provided in thicknesses ranging from .032” to .500” thick.
Rogers Corp. BISCO® HT-870, Soft Cellular Silicone Foam. This silicone foam Applications vary with this elastomer from HVAC units to electronic cabinets and other applications. The compression deflection(psi) @ 25% is 4, allowing low compression but great sealing. This material can be supplied in black(standard), and red. BISCO® HT-870 can be supplied in thicknesses ranging from .062” to .500” thick.
Rogers Corp. BISCO® HT-820, Firm Cellular Silicone Foam, This silicone foam is great applications vary from lighting fixtures to HVAC units and other applications. The compression deflection(psi) @ 25% is 16. This elastomer comes in the color gray. BISCO® HT-820 can be provided in thicknesses ranging from .032” to .250” thick.
Rogers Corp. BISCO® HT-840, Extra Firm Cellular Silicone Foam, This silicone foam is great in applications that have a lot of force in order to force the gasket to provide a seal. The compression deflection(psi) @ 25% is 22. The color availability is gray on this specific foam. Thicknesses range from .062’’ to .250’’ thick for BISCO® HT-840.
More Information on Silicone Foam Rubber:
These silicone foams can be provided with silicone, or acrylic PSA for ease in assembly. NEDC commonly uses die-cutting or waterjet cutting for silicone foams into custom shapes. For more information on silicone foam gaskets or you believe you have an application that could utilize silicone foam rubber please contact sales@nedc.com.
Datasheet Download for Silicone Foam Materials:
HT-800 Silicone Foam Datasheet
HT-820 Silicone Foam Datasheet