Do you ever wonder what the world would be like had certain inventions and scientific breakthroughs never been made?

Since we are suppliers of high-performance silicone hoses, we definitely wonder what life would be like if silicone didn’t exist. After all, our silicone hoses are used in so many different applications, and silicone itself is used in everything from nonstick cake pans to sealants that close gaps around your windows for improved energy efficiency.

What else is silicone used for, and how might the world be different without it? Let’s explore this question here and find out.

Solar Panels And Photovoltaic Devices

Increasingly, communities around the globe are turning to renewable sources such as sunlight to power our lives. Solar panels are an important development, making solar energy possible on a larger scale. Here’s where silicone comes in; it improves both the performance and efficiency of solar panels. Silicone polymers have helped advance the design of photovoltaic devices like solar panels, enabling more cost-effective ways to turn light into electricity, which makes it possible for more homeowners and businesses to tap into solar energy to create the power that we need on a daily basis.

Computers And Mobile Electronics

Silicone is everywhere in technology, particularly in the world of computers. You’ll find it in keyboards and keypads, desktops and laptops, printers, copiers, and mobile devices. Silicone features prominently in the equipment that makes up our home entertainment systems. It’s also found extensively in telecommunications and power distribution systems. Without silicone, we may not have advanced technologically as quickly as we have.

Construction Industries

It’s safe to say that, in so many ways, silicone has helped to revolutionize the construction industries. It’s a key component of both commercial and residential buildings, found in everything from the sealants that make these buildings energy efficient, to the grease used in plumbing fixtures to protect metal pipes and seals, keeping lime buildup from forming. Silicone rubber enjoys wide use throughout the construction industries.

Textiles

Many fabrics as we know them today exist because of the properties of silicone. When added to fabrics, this polymer helps them maintain the right texture and shape, even after multiple washes and repeated use.

Silicone is used to waterproof rain gear, ensuring that you stay dry even in intense rainstorms. What’s more, high-performing, lightweight sportswear worn by professional and amateur athletes alike (and by active everyday people) is made possible by silicone. In the world of drycleaning, liquid silicone is used as a solvent in many businesses, replacing traditional harsh solvents for a more environmentally-friendly solution.

Personal Care

There are countless examples of silicones found in the personal care products we use on a regular basis for our hygiene and grooming. A few examples include the conditioners found in hair care products, the dyes in color-enhancing hair products, and the lotions we use as moisturizers and sunscreens, since silicone helps these products spread smoothly for a better application and improved protection. Silicone is also prominent in personal care lubricants.

Automotive and Aviation

In the world of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other vehicles, silicone is found everywhere! It’s used as a lubricant for brakes, the insulation on spark plug wires, and in the gaskets found in automotive engines. Coolant silicone hoses transport important fluids that keep engines cool, preventing them from overheating.

In aviation, silicone is used extensively during assembly. Silicone sealants and adhesives protect airplanes and spacecraft against windsheer, sun degradation, space radiation, and other elements. These adhesives are used to create seals and barriers in the aircraft windows, doors, wings, fuel tanks, electrical devices, ducts, overhead bins, and other important components and systems.

The Kitchen

Open your cupboards and kitchen drawers, and you’ll find a number of common items you use regularly that are made with silicone. Just a few examples are oven mitts, non-stick bakeware, ladles, strainers, cookware lids, and many other items that simplify cooking and enhance the joy of creating in the kitchen! Even some of your countertop and floor cleaners contain silicone to boost the products’ cleaning power.

Medicine

Because silicone polymers are easy to sterilize and have hypoallergenic qualities, these materials are found in numerous healthcare and medical applications. A few we want to mention here are the following applications within medical fields:

• Seals
• Gaskets
• Bandages
• Dressings
• Implants
• Contact Lenses
• Scar Treatment Sheets
• Topical Medications
• Wound Healing Lotions
• Lubricants
• Prosthetics

What’s more, silicone tubing has found countless uses in medical devices. Tubing is used in drug and fluid delivery systems, as just one of many examples.

Toys & Hobbies

Moving on to pastimes for all ages, silicone is used in the manufacture of many toys and hobby materials. A number of moldmaking and arts-and-crafts materials contain silicone. Flexible bracelets, Silly Putty, covers and grips for game controllers, baby teething rings, and kids’ watches are made with silicone because of its flexible, non-reactive, and durable properties.

Safety

The use of silicone has increased safety in many different industries, from automotive to medical, and from manufacturing to food processing, for a number of reasons. Durable seals can be created with silicone, eliminating unwanted seepage or accidental bursting of seams or joints. Silicone is added to lubricants that prevent mechanical parts from wearing down as quickly or generating potentially dangerous levels of heat. Silicone tubing can safely transport liquids in hospitals and processing plants without contaminating the contents.

Because silicone has low toxicity, low chemical reactivity, is resistant to temperature extremes, is not conducive to microbiological growth, and repels moisture, it is used in countless applications that keep machinery running smoothly and keep people both comfortable and safe.

And Of Course, Silicone Hoses

So now we come back to silicone hoses, which our teams at Flex Tech specialize in. You’ve just learned how many ways silicone improves our daily lives, and you can now come to the conclusion that many things would be more complicated (and less safe) without the use of silicone in a large range of applications around the world. With silicone hoses in particular, you can be assured that they offer a great solution for your processing and manufacturing applications, whether in pharmaceuticals, food processing, water treatment, cosmetics fabrication, or just about any other arena where purity and integrity are important.

What’s more, silicone hoses can be used in hybrid systems that combine different materials, including metals. They are flexible enough to include in tight spaces, like the engines of everyday cars, high-power trucks, and performance race cars, to name a few examples. They resist moisture and can operate in a wide range of temperatures, making silicone the tubing solution of choice in environments that are humid (including steamy) or extremely hot or cold.

All in all, we think we’re improving the world through our top-quality silicone hose products! We’re proud of what we do, and we’re available to help with your designs. That’s because Flex Technologies has in-house technical teams who know our products inside and out and can help you find just the right parts you need for your system.

We’re also really good at working with our clients to come up with custom solutions for those especially challenging designs. We’re up to the task! Whether you need high-temp silicone tubing or any type of silicone hose solutions, get in touch with Flex Technologies today.