Silicone oil is a form of artificial chemical polymer, which involves the polymerization of siloxane with organic side chains which are as a result of alternating of silicon and oxygen atoms. Silicone is currently used in several industries due to its nature as it can also be created through combining of carbon, hydrogen and any other naturally occurring elements to give the desired polymer for the specific use. Nowadays because of these qualities, it is used for making many industrial and domestic products.
Silicone has various uses, which include manufacture of different kinds of rubber products due to its nature. These products include baking sets and even toys in the home. Silicone is also used in the manufacture of lubricants and other forms of hydraulic fluids that lead to the oil being used alternately with grease but should not be taken to be one and the same. Silicone is also used in electrical insulation as silicone is non flammable and has a high insulation capacity which makes it gain wide usage in freezers and refrigerators.
Silicone oil are also used in the process of distillation and fermentation as they contain antifoaming agents, which also help in the reduction of the amount of foam that is produced in the process and can be problematic in this process. Due to this characteristic, Silicone oil is also added to cooking oils to prevent the formation of excess froth and foam especially in the process of deep-frying. Due to its malleable characteristic, silicone is also used in manufacture of putty. Silicone oil is used in cooking oil due to its non-toxicity nature and does not contain an odor or taste.
Silicone gel has a myriad of other uses especially in laboratories and medical facilities because of the thermal stability. Silicone oil is used in heating baths for experiments that prolonged heating is necessary. This is because Silicone oil is not flammable and safety when it is in use is assured as there are no risks of it catching flames. In medical operations, Silicone oil is also used for eye operations. Silicone oil is used as an alternative to the vitreous fluid that is found in the eye, as it is pure and cannot cause any infections in the eye. Silicone oil is also used in the preparation of antiflatulent medication as it absorbs the excessive gas that causes flatulence in the body.
Not only is Silicone oil used in medical and for pharmaceutical uses but is also used in creating airtight seals, which are used in air guns and paint ball guns. Silicone is also used as a lubricant for parts in the machines since it does not lead to corrosion and wearing off of the parts due to friction.
In general, Silicone oil due to its chemical structure is an ideal material to use in industries and manufacturing processes due to its unique characteristics, which include its insulating capacity against electric current, ability to resist catching flames, its unique thermal stability which is constant both at very high temperatures as well as in very low temperatures, its lack of smell and taste as well as its non-toxicity, which makes it usable even for ingestible material. These unique characteristics have made Silicone oil more popular than its counterparts in industrial processes.
