Silastic® FL 30-9201 100% Fluoro Liquid Silicone Rubber (F-LSR)

Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR is a two-component, pigmentable soft paste containing fluorosilicone. It is specially engineered for liquid injection molding and is heat cured to a 30 durometer material. The cured rubber product exhibits resistance to a range of chemicals and solvents over a broad temperature range of -63°C to +175°C under immersion conditions, and up to +225°C under dry heat conditions.

Applications of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR

Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR is neither tested nor represented as suitable for pharmaceutical and medical applications. The following are the applications of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR:

• Chemical environments and industrial applications
• Complex components with close tolerances
• Solvent and chemically resistant molded components
• Extrusion onto wires, belts, fabrics, and other surfaces
• Electrical/electronic connectors
• Thin, high-precision coatings

Typical Properties and Key Features of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR

The two-component Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR is offered as parts A and B, of which Part A is straw yellow and Part B is translucent to facilitate identification and inspection of the mix. These parts need to be mixed in a 1:1 ratio. The typical characteristics of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR are summarized in the following table:

¹Materials were tested according to Dow Corning Corporate Test Methods, which in most cases are similar to the ASTM standard listed above. Copies of CTMs are available on request.
²ASTM: American Society for Testing and Materials.
³Cure conditions: molded 10 minutes at 177°C (350°F); post-cured 4 hours at 200 ºC (392°F).

The key features of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR are listed below:

• Two-part with convenient 1:1 mix ratio
• Rapid cure at higher temperatures
• Stable over a broad range of temperatures
• Good tensile and tear strengths for superior performance
• Good resistance to fuel, oils, solvents and chemicals
• Solvent free (100 percent solids)
• High temperature mold release

Mixing and De-airing of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR

Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR can be applied by:

• Injection molding equipment
• Extrusion coating onto a substrate
• Hand brushing onto a surface

For production, it is recommended to use meter mix equipment to pump, meter and mix the two parts without introducing air. De-gassing the mixture needs to be done under vacuum in case of entrapment of air bubbles.

Pot Life of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR

After mixing the two parts, the usable life of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR will extend for at least 96h at room temperature. The usable life after mixing can be extended considerably by refrigerating at low temperatures. When stored in the original unopened containers at or below 32°C, the usable life of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR is 12 months from the date of production. This product is offered in lot matched pail and drum kits.

Cure Rate

Heating Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR to 150°C cures it within seconds. The cure time for a specific component is the time required to bring the part to this temperature. The cure time for Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR is a function of cure temperature and the dimensions of the component being cured. The cure cycle ranges between 20 and 90s for injection molding of parts under 10g at a cure temperature of 200°C.

Determining curve level by running a MDR curve at the desired molding temperature yields optimum results. The avoidance of contamination is important as the presence of tin complexes, sulfur, amines and some peroxides can inhibit the cure mechanism of Silastic^® FL 30-9201 F-LSR. The uncured product can be cleaned up using solvents like Dow Corning^® OS Fluids, xyline, toluene, naphtha, and mineral spirits.

This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Dow Corning Automotive.

For more information on this source, please visit Dow Corning Automotive.