Question

Why is silicone so expensive?

Answer 1

Silicone:

1. A silicone often termed polysiloxane, is a siloxane-based polymer. Colourless oils or rubber-like compounds are the most common.
2. Sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medication, culinary utensils, thermal insulation, and electrical insulation all use silicones.

Reason for silicone is so expensive:

1. Silicone is a polymer, or to put it another way, a remarkable elastomer with interesting qualities even at high temperatures, making it unique and superior to other rubbers.
2. Premium quality rubber, or simply premium rubber, is the name given to silicone.
3. Silicone, also known as polysiloxane, is a polymer made up of siloxanes that have been combined in a repeating pattern. The siloxanes are functional groups having units of formulae that have a –Si-o-Si bond.
4. $\left(-{\mathrm{R}}_2\mathrm{Si}-\mathrm{O}-{\mathrm{SiR}}_2-\right)$
5. The R group will be a natural one.
6. Silicones will be colorless rubbery materials or oils, and the most common forms include silicone resins, silicone oil, silicone rubber, and so on. These are used as adhesives, in medical disciplines, and in the manufacture of utensils, among other things.
7. So, in silicone, we know that Si and O are present. Because silicon is the second most abundant material, the question of whether it is the most expensive product arises.
8. We should be aware that the final product's cost is established by taking into account a variety of elements such as raw material availability, transportation, energy and production costs, and so on.
9. Let us now look at the elements that contribute to the high cost of silicone. The primary cause is the high cost of production, notably the high energy cost. Because the silicone is created by converting sand into high purity silica.
10. Prior to the polymerization of the silica to produce silicones, the generated silica goes through a refining step. In addition, various expensive reagents, such as HF and copper, are used in the process.
11. These factors raise the cost of production and, as a result, the rate at which the finished product is produced.