Main Difference
From the scientifically point of view, the main difference between the Silicone and the rubber is the atomic structure that is changed in both the cases. When you check the silicones with the reference of special properties, you will come to identify that it contains more special properties than that of the normal rubbers. The presence of both of these things is also not similar at all. You can find the existence of the Rubbers by nature, but they are able to be synthesized as well. The silicone, on the other side, is a human made thing that is not present naturally. As a consequence, we can say that the synthesized form of the rubber is called silicone. The features of both of these elastomers are not the same because this is the Silicone which is more opposing to the heat, chemical attacks and the fungus attacks in addition to the UV and Ozone assaults as compared to the normal rubber. The structure of the silicone contains the elements of silicon and oxygen. In the structure of most of the other rubbers can be found in the shape of carbon-carbon bonds. Every silicone is basically a rubber but not every rubber can be called a silicone. In the thermal insulation process, the use of the silicone is much better as compared to the normal rubbers. The natural rubber is formed just due to the strings of atoms which are known as the polymers. They are based on carbon. As the name implies, the basic constituent element in silicone is silicon. From the durability and strength point of view, the power of silicone is superior then that of the normal rubber.
Rubber
It is a general conception that all the elastomers are rubbers. The dimensions of the rubbers are able to be changed largely with the help of stressing. If you wish to get the original dimensions once again, you only need to remove the stress. A glass transition temperature is shown by these materials because they have the amorphous structure. Lots of rubber types can be found at the present day consisting of the natural rubber, synthetic poly isoprene, styrene butadiene rubber, nitrile rubber, polychloprene, and silicone as they come in the category of rubber. In common terms, the word of rubber give you an idea about the natural rubber only. The process of obtaining the Natural rubber is very simple for which you only need to gain the latex of the Heveabrasiliensis. The structure of the natural rubber is Cis-1, 4-polyisoprene and it contains the polymer chains of carbon in most of the cases. The utilization of the Rubber is far above the ground these days such as in the preparation procedure of the cookware, electronics, automotive applications and lots of others because they have the feature of elasticity. The Rubbers are the elastomers which are best for the insulating purposes as well.
Silicone
The synthetic form of the rubber is known as Silicone. The process of synthesis is accomplished with the help of the modifying silicon. The backbone silicon atoms with the alternating oxygen atoms are responsible for the creation of silicone making the high energy silicon-oxygen bonds. As compared to the other rubbers or elastomers, the silicones are more resistant to heat. In the similar way, silicone show more resistance to the fungus and chemicals. Another outstanding quality that you find in the silicone is the higher resistant to ozone and UV attacks because of the presence of the silicon oxygen bond. This bond is less susceptible to these attacks than the carbon- carbon bond present in other elastomers. In the case of Silicone, you will obtain a lower tensile strength and lower tear strength as compared to the organic rubbers. But in the situation when the high temperature is present, the excellent tensile and tear properties will be delivered by the silicone due to less variation of properties in silicone at high temperatures. The durability of the Silicone is more than that of the elastomers. The disadvantages are present in the silicone as well such as the shorter fatigue life of silicone having the high viscosity than the organic rubbers causing manufacturing problems because of the poor flow properties.
Key Differences
- Rubbers can be found in lots of kinds including the silicone in addition and thus, every silicone is rubber but every sort of rubber is not the silicone.
- The silicone is made because of the silicon and oxygen while the rubbers are made due to the carbon-carbon bonds.
- Rubber is less resistant to heat, chemical attacks, fungus attacks, UV and Ozone attacks.
- The thermal insulation can be completed more efficiently with the help of the silicone as it presents more heat resistance then that of the natural rubbers.