Silicones are used in many products.

Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry lists the following

major categories of application: Electrical (e.g., insulation), electronics (e.g., coatings), household (e.g.,
sealants for cooking apparatus), automobile (e.g., gaskets), airplane (e.g., seals), office machines (e.g.,
keyboard pads), medicine/dentistry (e.g., teeth impression molds), textiles/paper (e.g., coatings). For
these applications, an estimated 400,000 tons of silicones were produced in 1991. Specific examples,
both large and small are presented below.[1]

Automotive
In the automotive field, silicone grease is typically used as a lubricant for brake components since it is
stable at high temperatures, is not water-soluble, and is far less likely than other lubricants to foul. It is
also used as DOT 5 brake fluid.
Automotive spark plug wires are insulated by multiple layers of silicone to prevent sparks from jumping to
adjacent wires, causing misfires. Silicone tubing is sometimes used in automotive intake systems
(especially for engines with forced induction).
Sheet silicone is used to manufacture gaskets used in automotive engines, transmissions, and other
applications.
Automotive body manufacturing plants and paint shops avoid silicones, as they may cause "fish eyes",
small, circular craters in the finish.
Additionally, silicone compounds such as silicone rubber are used as coatings and sealants for airbags;
the high strength of silicone rubber makes it an optimal adhesive/sealant for high impact airbags. Recent
technological advancements allow convenient use of silicone in combination with thermoplastics to
provide improvements in scratch and mar resistance and lowered coefficient of friction.

Coatings
Silicone films can be applied to such silica-based substrates as glass to form
a covalently bonded hydrophobic coating. Many fabrics can be coated or impregnated with silicone to
form a strong, waterproof composite such as silnylon.

Defoaming[edit]
Silicones are used as active compound in defoamers due to their low water solubility and good spreading
properties.

Dry cleaning[edit]
Liquid silicone can be used as a dry cleaning solvent, providing an alternative to the traditional chlorinecontainingperchloroethylene (perc) solvent. Use of silicones in dry cleaning reduces the environmental
impact of a typically high-polluting industry.

Electronics
Electronic components are sometimes encased in silicone to increase stability against mechanical and
electrical shock, radiation and vibration, a process called "potting".

Silicones are used where durability and high performance are demanded of components under hard
conditions, such as in space (satellite technology). They are selected
over polyurethane or epoxy encapsulation when a wide operating temperature range is required (65 to
315 C). Silicones also have the advantage of little exothermic heat rise during cure, low toxicity, good
electrical properties and high purity.
The use of silicones in electronics is not without problems, however. Silicones are relatively expensive
and can be attacked by solvents. Silicone easily migrates as either a liquid or vapor onto other
components.
Silicone contamination of electrical switch contacts can lead to failures by causing an increase in contact
resistance, often late in the life of the contact, well after any testing is completed.[6][7] Use of silicone-based
spray products in electronic devices during maintenance or repairs can cause later failures.

Lubricants
Silicone greases are used for many purposes, such as bicycle chains, airsoft gun parts, and a wide range
of other mechanisms. Typically, a dry-set lubricant is delivered with a solvent carrier to penetrate the
mechanism. The solvent then evaporates, leaving a clear film that lubricates but does not attract dirt and
grit as much as an oil-based or other traditional "wet" lubricant.

Medicine
Silicone is used in microfluidics, seals, gaskets, shrouds, and other applications requiring high
biocompatibility. Additionally, the gel form is used in bandages and dressings, breast implants, testicle
implants, pectoral implants, contact lenses, and a variety of other medical uses.
Scar treatment sheets are often made of medical grade silicone due to its durability and biocompatibility.
Polydimethylsiloxane is often used for this purpose, since its specific crosslinking results in a flexible and
soft silcone with high durability and tack.
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been used as the hydrophobic block of amphiphilic synthetic
block copolymers used to form the vesicle membrane ofpolymersomes.

Personal care
Silicones are ingredients in many hair conditioners, shampoos, and hair gel products. Some silicones,
notably the amine functionalized amodimethicones, are excellent conditioners, providing improved
compatibility, feel, and softness, and lessening frizz. The phenyltrimethicones, in another silicone family,
are used in reflection-enhancing and color-correcting hair products, where they increase shine and
glossiness (and possibly effect subtle color changes). Phenyltrimethicones, unlike the conditioning
amodimethicones, have refractive indices (typically 1.46) close to that of human hair (1.54). However, if
included in the same formulation, amodimethicone and phenyltrimethicone interact and dilute each other,
making it difficult to achieve both high shine and excellent conditioning in the same product. [9]
Silicone rubber is commonly used in baby bottle nipples (teats) for its cleanliness, aesthetic appearance,
and low extractable content.
Silicones are used in shaving products and personal lubricants.

Plumbing and building construction

The strength and reliability of silicone rubber is widely acknowledged in the construction industry. Onepart silicone sealants and caulks are in common use to seal gaps, joints and crevices in buildings. Onepart silicones cure by absorbing atmospheric moisture, which simplifies installation. In plumbing, silicone
grease is typically applied to O-rings in brass taps and valves, preventing lime from sticking to the metal.

oys and hobbies

Silly Putty and similar materials are composed of silicones dimethyl siloxane, polydimethylsiloxane,
and decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane, with other ingredients. This substance is noted for its unusual
characteristic that it bounces, but breaks when given a sharp blow; it can also flow like a liquid and will
form a puddle given enough time.
Silicone "rubber bands" are a long-lasting popular replacement refill for real rubber bands in the new
(2013) fad "rubber band loom" toys at two to four times the price (in 2014). However, they only come in
one size, small. Silicone bands also come in bracelet sizes that can be custom embossed with a name or
message. Large silicone bands are also sold as utility tie-downs and such.
Formerol is a silicone rubber (marketed as Sugru) used as an arts-and-crafts material as its plasticity
allows it to be moulded by hand like modeling clay. It hardens at room temperature and it is adhesive to
various substances including glass and aluminum.[10]
In making aquariums, manufacturers now commonly use 100% silicone sealant to join glass plates. Glass
joints made with silicone sealant can withstand great pressure, making obsolete the original aquarium
construction method of angle-iron and putty. This same silicone is used to make hinges in aquarium lids
or for minor repairs. However, not all commercial silicones are safe for aquarium manufacture, nor is
silicone used for the manufacture of acrylic aquariums as silicones do not have long-term adhesion to
plastics.[11]

Young's modulus, also known as the tensile modulus or elastic modulus, is a measure of
the stiffness of an elastic material and is a quantity used to characterize materials. It is defined as the
ratio of the stress (force per unit area) along an axis to the strain (ratio of deformation over initial length)
along that axis in the range of stress in which Hooke's law holds