Technical resources
Data sheets, safety data, and the basics.
Typical properties for every product we make, safety data for handling and compliance, and plain-language answers to the questions we field most often.
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Product Data Sheets
Typical properties for selecting a material: hardness, tear strength, viscosity, elongation, mix ratio, work time, and cure time. One sheet per product, generated from our current data.
Safety Data Sheets
Handling, storage, hazard, first aid, and disposal information, for safety files and compliance. Downloadable as PDF, with no account and no form to fill in.
Silicone basics
New to RTV-2 silicone, or deciding between cure systems? Start here.
- Platinum cure, explainedAddition cure. Near-zero shrinkage and high dimensional accuracy, at a higher cost and with more sensitivity to what it touches.
- Tin cure, explainedCondensation cure. Forgiving about what it will cure against, and the more economical choice for general mold making.
- What the properties meanShore A hardness, tear strength, and viscosity, with everyday comparisons. The catalog filters explain each one as you narrow the list.
Common questions
General guidance. For a specific product or application, the data sheet is the authority, and we are happy to confirm the fit before you buy.
What does RTV-2 mean?
Two components that cure at room temperature once they are mixed together. RTV stands for room temperature vulcanization. The 2 means the system comes in two parts, a base and an activator, rather than one.
Do I need to use a mold release?
Yes, on the original, and again when you need to separate two silicone halves. Silicone sticks to silicone, and it does it well. We offer MR-15 as a release agent. You do not need to release your reproductions: once it is cured, silicone is self releasing.
Do I have to degas the silicone before pouring?
It will work better if you vacuum degas it. Removing the air you mixed in lets the silicone pick up finer detail and gives it stronger physical properties. Every value on our data sheets comes from a degassed sample. Degassing does not affect whether it cures.
Do I have to weigh the silicone?
The products are formulated to react on a measurement by weight. Measure by volume and you will get different results from the ones shown on the data sheet. Most of our silicones do list a volume ratio on the data sheet as well.
What is the shelf life?
Six months for the uncured material. Library life, meaning the life of the cured silicone, varies from product to product, so ask us about the one you are using.
Does temperature affect how the silicone cures?
Yes. GI-Series silicones lose work time and cure time in the presence of heat and humidity, and gain both in their absence. P-Series silicones lose and gain work time and cure time with heat alone. Contact us for specifics on a given product.
What makes a P-Series surface stay wet where it meets the master?
Inhibition. P-Series silicones are inhibited by organo tin complexes, which includes the GI-Series, as well as by sulfur and nitrogen. If you are not sure what the master is made of, mix a small amount of P-Series and test it on the master first. Contact us if you see inhibition, or before you start if you are unsure.
How can I make the silicone cure faster?
We make catalysts for both series that shorten the cure, GI-UFC for the GI-Series and PT-Accel for the P-Series. Remember that shortening the cure time shortens the work time along with it. Find them in the catalog.
Still deciding
Not sure which material fits?
Answer a few questions about your application and we will narrow the catalog for you, then confirm the fit with our team before you order.