Performance of new silicone adhesives and encapsulants at high and low temperatures

Silicone coating and encapsulation materials are well established products used in many applications ranging from construction to aerospace. Silicones are very successful in providing the environmental protection of car electronic systems. Automotive electronics are exposed to hazards that most electronic components never encounter, including high humidity, constant vibration and extreme temperature cycling. Silicone materials are ideally suited for use in such demanding situations: they can be soft and flexible for vibration damping; they are thermally stable from -50°C to +200°C (standard); and silicones are excellent electrical insulators. New materials have been specifically designed to meet the increasingly stringent requirements imposed upon electronic systems in automotive applications. The authors discuss the characteristics and performance of the silicones