Silicone Rubber Extrusions for Water

Silicone Rubber Products for Water Industries

Advanced Materials has been supplying silicone rubber products for the water industry for many years.

We manufacture silicone rubber tubing, moulded components and silicone rubber extruded profiles for drinking water.

Silicone Rubber Extrusions for Drinks and Bottling Industries

Our range of silicone rubber products can be manufactured to meet Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) specifications for the drinks industry. The high and low temperature range of WRAS silicone rubber means it can be used for a variety of jobs for the beverage industry. Applications include coffee machine seals and water pumps in drink machines.

When you get in touch with us, let us know that your application is for drinking water, and we can ensure we send you a certificate of conformity with your manufactured goods.

Our silicone rubber products for the food and drink industry meet the requirements of the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the German BfR, as well as WRAS, meaning our products can be used with drinking water up to 85°C.

For some drinks and water treatment industries, frequent cleaning or sterilisation of our PC60 silicone rubber tubing is necessary. Sterilisation by γ-irradiation, steam, β-irradiation or ETO treatment doesn’t compromise the mechanical properties of the silicone. However, compatibility tables should be consulted, before introducing any cleaning substance, to avoid degradation.

Let us know what cleaning chemicals will be used in your application and we’ll check them on our compatibility charts. If you simply need to clean dust from a silicone rubber part, you can use diluted detergent (washing up liquid) and rinse well after.

Submergence of Silicone

Prolonged submersion in either freshwater or saltwater will not adversely affect silicone. This is because silicone rubbers have low water absorption of about 1% - even when they are immersed in water for a long time. Mechanical tensile strength and electrical properties are almost unaffected.

Effects on silicone from other water types

  • Rain
    Silicone rubber has good resistance to UV radiation and weathering, making it a good choice for seals for outdoors. We have supplied many glazing seals for beautiful buildings around the world and where it’s frequently required to keep rain out of electrical enclosure boxes.
  • Deionized water and distilled water
    Prolonged contact with deionized or distilled water does not adversely affect the silicone rubber’s sealing properties.
  • Wastewater treatment
    Silicone rubber microbore thin wall tubing is used in wastewater treatment. GP65 silicone rubber is selected for this application, due to its high permeability to oxygen, and our peroxide cured grades offer better permeability than the platinum grades.
  • Boiling water
    Silicone rubber has excellent resistance to boiling water, with a volume change of less than 1% - even after prolonged contact. Silicone rubber is a great elastomer for functioning well at high temperatures. If your water application for silicone rubber is going to be at temperature, either cyclic or constant, ask for our Thermal Ageing data.
  • Steam
    Generally, silicone rubbers do not deteriorate when they are in contact with steam, however, the influence becomes significant when the steam pressure is increased. Siloxane polymer breaks under high-pressure steam above 150°C - this causes the deterioration in properties.

Get in touch with a member of our team and let us know about your application and we’ll try to be helpful as possible. Call us now on 01903 713566 or email sales@amsilicones.co.uk.

Silicone Rubber Resistance To Cold

Silicone rubber has one of the widest temperature ranges of elastomeric materials. With a temperature range of -60 to +200c, it is utilised in refrigerated applications because it won’t become brittle and it also has good flexibility in low temperatures.

Industries Where Silicone Products Are Used

Silicone rubber tubing is also used in the following liquid related industries:

  • Drinks vending machines
  • Baby food industry
  • Baby bottle teats
  • Catheters for medical drainage
  • Water management – irrigation
  • Dairy food tubing
  • Coffee machines
  • Seals and gaskets
  • Water pumps

The translucency of the silicone is good with PC grades and translucency with a tint is useful if you need to see contents, or identify different tubes on the same machine.

If you are concerned about dirt, dust and debris attraction, especially on soft grades, ask about our anti-friction treatment. Tear resistant grades of silicone are also available, as are peroxide cured and platinum cured variations.

If you require your Certificate of Conformity to state compliance with any relevant regulatory bodies, then let us know at the enquiry stage, so we can select the correct raw material for you.

To speak to our team about your silicone rubber requirements, call us now on 01903 713566, or email sales@amsilicones.co.uk.

Types of Sterilisation

Sterilisation by γ-irradiation

For PC60 silicone rubber, sterilisation by γ-irradiation (according to DIN EN ISO 11137-2, 2007) does not compromise mechanical properties of silicone rubber and biocompatibility of silicone rubber is not affected by 50 kGy γ-irradiation.

Sterilisation by steam

For PC60 silicone rubber, sterilisation by steam (according to DIN EN ISO 17665, ageing test according to DIN EN 868-8) does not compromise mechanical properties of silicone rubber and biocompatibility of silicone rubber is not affected by 100 cycles of steam sterilisation (134°C, 5 min per cycle).

Sterilisation by β-irradiation

For PC60 silicone rubber, sterilisation by β-irradiation (according to DIN EN ISO 11137) does not compromise mechanical properties of silicone rubber and biocompatibility of silicone rubber is not affected by 50 kGy β-irradiation.

Sterilisation by ETO treatment

For PC60 silicone rubber, ETO treatment (according to DIN EN ISO 11135: 1 h, 54 °C, 600 mg/L ETO) does not compromise mechanical properties of silicone rubber and biocompatibility of silicone rubber is not affected by ETO treatment.