MUNICH-based chemical group Wacker has come out with new silicone-rubber grades for infant and toddler pacifiers and bottle nipples.
The new grades are part of the Elastosil LR 3040 liquid-rubber product line and its Elastosil R plus 4020 solid-rubber line. The cured rubber is soft yet tear and bite-resistant.
The vulcanisates of the new liquid-rubber grades have identical properties, differing only in their hardness. Elastosil LR 3040 vulcanises to form elastomers of 30 Shore A hardness, whilst Elastosil LR 3040/45 forms a 45 Shore A elastomer. These two hardnesses ensure that varying needs of baby care manufacturers are served, especially when requiring softer materials with high tear strength.
Moreover, like all Elastosil LR 3040 grades, the new liquid silicones feature very short curing times. The cured products of the Elastosil R plus 4020 solid silicone-rubber grades exhibit even higher tear strength at over 50 newtons per millimetre, measured as per ASTM D 624.
The rubber lines enable the manufacture of thin-walled and compliant pacifiers and bottle nipples which, at the same time, exhibit effective bite resistance. Low wall thicknesses make for greater freedom of design and facilitate the manufacture of orthodontically correct pacifiers and bottle nipples. Wacker’s two new solid-rubber grades extend its product line by the hardness levels most often used for pacifiers and bottle nipples – Shore A 40 and 50, respectively.
The company will be showcasing these silicones in the forthcoming Fakuma held from October 16 to 20 in Germany.
Asia's First E-Magazine for the Rubber Industry