Silicone grease 2283538 224110663 2008-07-07T10:38:05Z 90.224.228.110 '''Silicone grease''' is a waterproof [[grease (lubricant)|grease]] made by combining a [[silicone oil]] with a thickener. Most commonly, the silicone oil is [[polydimethylsiloxane]] and the thickener is amorphous [[silica fume|fumed silica]]. Using this formulation, silicone grease is a translucent white viscous paste, with exact properties dependent on the type and proportion of the components. ==Use in industry== Silicone grease is commonly used for lubricating and preserving rubber parts, such as [[O-ring]]s. Additionally, silicone grease does not swell or soften the rubber, which can be a problem with [[hydrocarbon]] based greases. It functions well as a corrosion-inhibitor and lubricant for purposes that require a thicker lubricant, such as the operating mechanism of the [[M1 Garand]] rifle. The most common use of it is an elastic [[heat transfer]] coupling material between [[semiconductor]] circuit elements and attached cooling metal parts. This way [[thermal resistance]] of touching surfaces is typically lowered by 50 percent.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} The high thermal stability is the key property that allows these greases to operate on hot, cold and wet surfaces of [[peltier]] elements. Silicone grease is also used widely by the plumbing industry in faucets and seals, as well as dental equipment. Electrical utilities use silicone grease to lube separable elbows on lines which must endure high temperatures. Silicone greases generally have a temperature range of -40 to 400 °C. ==Use in the chemical laboratory== Silicone grease is widely used as a temporary sealant and a lubricant for interconnecting [[ground glass joint]]s, as is typically used in the chemical laboratory. Although silicones are normally assumed to be chemically inert, several historically significant compounds have been prepared by unintended reactions. For example, the first salt of the crown ether (OSi(CH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>)<sub>n</sub> (n = 6, 7) were prepared by reactions resulting from contacting organolithium and organopotassium compounds with silicone greases.<ref>{{cite journal | title = Silicon Analogues of Crown Ethers and Cryptands: A New Chapter in Host–Guest Chemistry? | author = Jamie S. Ritch and Tristram Chivers | journal = Angewandte Chemie International Edition | volume = 46 | issue = | pages = 4610 – 4613 | year = 2007 | url = | doi = 10.1002/anie.200701822}}</ref> ==Consumer Uses== Silicone-based lubricants are often used by consumers in applications where other common consumer lubricants, such as [[Vaseline]], would damage certain products, such as latex rubber condoms and gaskets on drysuits. ==References== <references/> [[Category:Silicones]] [[Category:Lubricants]] [[sv:Silikonfett]]