Welcome to the Silex silicone FAQ. Here you’ll find answers to the most common questions about silicone materials, approvals, and applications. With over 40 years of experience, Silex is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of silicone products, trusted across industries worldwide.
About Silicone
What is silicone?
Silicone is a synthetic polymer made from silicon, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen. It combines durability with flexibility and resists heat, cold, chemicals and UV. With decades of expertise, Silex manufactures silicone in many forms — from tubing and sheeting to extrusions and mouldings — supporting both routine supply and specialist applications.
What’s the difference between silicon and silicone?
Silicon is a natural element found in the earth’s crust and widely used in electronics. Silicone, on the other hand, is a man-made polymer based on silicon, created for flexibility and stability. At Silex we supply silicone in multiple grades and formats, helping customers choose the right material for their project.
How long does silicone last?
Silicone is exceptionally durable and can perform for decades without becoming brittle. Silex products are used in demanding environments such as aerospace, food processing and healthcare, where long service life is essential.
Is silicone sustainable?
Silicone is not biodegradable, but it is long-lasting and highly resistant to degradation, which reduces the need for frequent replacement. By supplying durable, high-performance silicone, Silex helps industries reduce waste and extend product lifespans.
Approvals & Compliance
Is silicone food safe?
Yes. Many grades of silicone are fully compliant with FDA and WRAS regulations, making them safe for contact with food, beverages, and potable water. Silex supplies a wide range of food-grade silicone products from stock, ensuring reliable performance in food processing and catering environments.
Is silicone safe for medical use?
Yes. Medical-grade silicone is manufactured to strict standards, including USP Class VI compliance. Silex offers medical-grade silicones for pharmaceutical, healthcare, and laboratory applications, with options tailored to meet biocompatibility requirements.
Does silicone meet fire safety standards?
Certain formulations are designed to be flame-retardant, meeting international fire safety approvals such as UL94 V-0. Silex manufactures and supplies flame-retardant silicone grades for industries where safety is critical, including aerospace, rail, and construction.
Can Silex provide documentation for compliance?
Yes. Datasheets, approvals, and certification documents are available on request for most silicone grades. Our technical team can advise on which compounds meet specific industry standards.
Specialist Grades
What is antistatic silicone?
Antistatic silicone is another name for electrically conductive silicone. At Silex, we supply carbon-filled grades that provide reliable ESD protection and EMI/RFI shielding while maintaining silicone’s flexibility and durability. These grades are widely used in electronics, aerospace, and medical housings.
What is flame-retardant silicone?
Flame-retardant silicone is engineered to resist ignition and meet strict fire safety standards. Silex manufactures flame-retardant grades for aerospace, rail and construction industries, where compliance is critical.
What is metal-detectable silicone?
Metal detectable silicone contains additives that allow fragments to be identified by standard detection systems. Silex supplies metal detectable compounds for food and pharmaceutical production lines, helping to maintain safety and compliance.
What is fluorosilicone?
Fluorosilicone combines silicone’s flexibility with exceptional resistance to fuels, oils and solvents. Silex offers fluorosilicone products for aerospace, automotive and defence applications where standard grades would degrade.
Products and Applications
What silicone products does Silex supply?
Silex offers one of the UK’s largest ranges of silicone products, including sheeting, tubing, cord, extrusions, sponge, mouldings, O-rings, gaskets and custom fabrications. With over 40 years of silicone expertise, we support both standard stock supply and bespoke projects.
Which industries use Silex silicone products?
Silex products are trusted across industries including food and beverage, aerospace, automotive, medical, rail, energy and construction.
Can silicone be used outdoors?
Yes. Silicone is naturally resistant to UV, ozone, and weathering. Silex silicone products are widely used in outdoor sealing, insulation, and protective applications where long service life is essential.
Does Silex provide custom silicone components?
Yes. With in-house CAD, tooling and prototyping, Silex manufactures bespoke extrusions, seals and mouldings to customer specifications. Our long manufacturing experience means we can also advise on material selection and compliance.
Ordering and Lead Times
Do you keep silicone products in stock?
Yes. Silex holds the UK’s largest stock of silicone sheeting, sponge and cord, which means many products are usually available for next-day delivery.
What are your lead times for custom products?
Lead times vary depending on the grade:
Standard stock: Estimated 1-2 Days
Bespoke Extrusion: 1–2 weeks
Specialist grades: 4–5 weeks
Can I order small quantities?
Yes. Silex supports low minimum order quantities (MOQs), with some products available from as little as 5 metres, making it easier to order exactly what you need.
How do I get technical advice or samples?
Silex’s technical team provides expert guidance on material selection, compliance and applications. Samples and datasheets are available on request to help with testing and comparison.
Didn’t find your answer?
If you didn’t find what you’re looking for, the Silex team is here to help. Contact us for technical advice, samples, or pricing tailored to your requirements.