Silicones take numerous forms and can be engineered to deliver an almost unlimited range of enabling and problem-solving benefits. Silicones are unique materials unlike anything else in this world. They combine the advantages of glass and plastics. Like glass (which is silicon-based), silicones are temperature- and moisture-resistant, chemically inert and dielectric. Like plastics (which are carbon-based), silicones are strong and able to assume many forms. Learn more about their extreme versatility below—and be sure to download our complete guide to silicone chemistry for all the details. 

Silicones take many forms—from free-flowing resins, rigid plastics, flexible rubbers, greases and powders to fluids thinner than water or thick as paste. From these basic classes of silicone materials, thousands of unique silicone products have been engineered to meet the needs of product designers, manufacturers, people and municipalities around the world. 

Silicones can be engineered to perform an amazing range of functions—from adhesives to release agents, antifoams to foam stabilizers. No matter what you need a material to do, chances are that silicone has already done it. Here are only some of the thousands of functions silicones can perform: 

Although silicone can be engineered to take on an incredible variety of forms and properties, many types of silicone share some common features that give them distinct advantages over other materials.

This unique combination of characteristics enables silicones to outlast and outperform most organic materials.

The bottom line: silicones make existing materials work better—more efficiently, longer and more reliably. They fuel our imaginations and make new products possible. In a society that runs on performance and strives for sustainability, silicones are invaluable tools.