How is Silicone Made?
Submitted by wolfalohalani on Sat, 12/24/2011 - 00:55
| Silicone is made from silicon dioxide, or silica - found in nature as quartz, or common beach sand.
First, the silica is put into a Silicon Furnace, where a carbon electrical arc reacts at high temperatures to drive the oxygen out of the silica, combining with the carbon to form carbon dioxide and leaving silicon metal. |
 Silicon Furnace - United States |
 Fluidized Bed Reactor - China |
The silicon is powdered, then combined with a copper catalyst and methylene chloride in a Fluidized Bed Reactor, which mixes fluid and solid ingredients at such high velocities that solid particles are completely suspended. The methylated chlorine reacts with the silicon, forming several different silanes - chemicals which have a chain of silicon atoms as a backbone. |
| Silanes can be combined with each other, with a related family of chemicals called siloxanes, and metallic or other additives to make silicones with different properties. When combined with a catalyst, the long-chain silicone molecules cross-link together to make the various forms of silicone we use today. |  Silicone |
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