What are the Advantages of Silicones in the Electronics Industry?

Silicone is found in virtually every modern gadget. Aside from that, silicon has several advantages in the electrical industry. The high thermal stability of silicone has led to the high demand for this material. More so, the reason silicone is used these days are numerous. For instance, it has good resistance to weathering, moisture, UV radiation, etc. To learn more about why silicone has become a hot cake in the electronic industry, keep reading.

Silicon Explained

Silicone is a chemical element that is found in sand and glass. Interestingly, it is one element that is readily available in the earth’s crust. 

Silicone is often found in mixtures with other elements. Silicone elements can securely connect atoms in complex configurations. Silicone is inexpensive and easy to get due to its abundance. Based on this silicone has become the most used semiconductor material in the electronic manufacturing industry.

What are the Advantages of Silicon in the Electronics Industry?

Despite the availability of other semiconductor materials, silicon remains the most used. For several reasons, silicone is the best material for electrical equipment. Because silicone is plentiful, wafers of any shape or size, no matter how big or small they need, maybe manufactured. For these and other reasons, silicon is the best material for electrical equipment.

Silicones protect a range of components against heat, stress, and contamination. Also, silicone is necessary for the long-term stability and performance of electronic devices like:

• Mobile phones
• MP3 players 
• Laptops and tablets
• Navigational satellite systems (GPS)
• Assistive listening systems (ALS)
• Usage of light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
• Silicone may aid in the energy efficiency of lighting

Silicones in LED devices decrease optical losses, enhance brightness and duration, and improve protection and durability, all of which contribute to lower replacement, maintenance, and waste production costs.

Silicones aid in the improvement of energy efficiency, connectivity, mobile working, and the overall power of electronics. Below are highlights of the advantages of using silicone:

Smartphones

In addition, when transistors become smaller, the insulating barrier between them and the silicon has to get smaller as well. The use of smartphones is anticipated to increase, which would benefit the industry. 

To produce even the best smartphones, silicone is one of the key elements that are used. For instance, the chip and the smartphone’s CPU are manufactured from silicone. Other components like RAM, image processor, etc., are made from components of silicone. Considering that the smartphone industry is booming, the use of silicone will also increase.

High Thermal Stability in Harsh Environment

Silicone compound is utilized in hundreds of electronic systems for component sealing, bonding, coating, and encapsulation, enabling them to function well in harsh environments. Electrically conductive silicone adhesives may be used to connect components instead of solder. Silicones can withstand the heat of different working environments since their properties do not change when exposed to high temperatures. 

Silicones bind, encapsulate, and lock electronic components ranging from very sensitive circuits and microprocessors to semiconductors, and even help protect them from intense heat, moisture, salt, corrosion, pollution, and movement in machines, appliances, cars, and aircraft.

Furthermore, to protect electronic gadgets from overheating, some conformal coatings are made from silicone too.

Cheap

Compared to other elements, silicone is cheaper and provides electronics manufacturers with a lot of flexibility. Interestingly, silicone can be used for various purposes. Aside from that, it is stronger and durable compared to other elements used for the same purpose.

Conclusion

Silicone is a heat-resistant, rubber-like material that is used in thermal and electrical insulation. In industrialized nations like China and the US, silicone is one element that is frequently used in the electronic industry. Aside from being affordable, silicone is durable and doesn’t cave in when the weather is harsh.  Because of these qualities, the use of silicone in the electrical and electronics industry is expected to increase shortly.

Apart from the electronic industry, silicone has become useful in other manufacturing industries too. To crown it all, silicone is accessible from any part of the world. Top electronic brands use silicone in manufacturing their products. Silicone is also used while building ships. It helps reduce dirt that may attach to the ship’s hull.

Would you like to know more about the use of silicones in industry? Visit ELKEM to learn about silicone potting. Elkem has been active in the silicone industry for some 60 years.