How does phenyl silicone rubber compound perform in terms of fire resistance in view of the special requirements of the aerospace industry?
Publish Time: 2025-06-19
Phenyl silicone rubber compound is a type of high-performance silicone material. It has been widely used in the aerospace industry due to its excellent temperature resistance, chemical stability and mechanical properties. Especially in extreme temperature environments and high-demand sealing and vibration reduction systems, this type of material has shown irreplaceable advantages. In terms of fire resistance, phenyl silicone rubber compound also has a certain adaptability and can meet the basic needs of some aviation application scenarios.Material composition and flame retardant mechanismPhenyl silicone rubber is a type of elastomer based on a polysiloxane with phenyl replacing some methyl groups. The presence of benzene rings in its molecular chain enhances the thermal stability of the material and improves its anti-combustion ability to a certain extent. Although silicone rubber is not a self-extinguishing material in nature, its reaction behavior under high-temperature flames can be effectively improved by adding specific flame retardants (such as aluminum hydroxide, metal oxides, etc.). These additives can release water vapor or form a carbon layer when heated, thereby delaying the spread of fire and reducing the burning rate.Fire performance in practical applicationsIn the aerospace field, fire resistance is one of the key indicators for evaluating the suitability of materials. Phenyl silicone rubber compound is usually used for parts that are not directly exposed to fire sources, such as vibration damping pads in aircraft cabin structures, auxiliary seals in the engine area, and pipe protection layers in hydraulic systems. In these locations, although they do not bear the main fire protection task, the material still needs to have a certain fire resistance to prevent the spread of fire. Actual tests show that when exposed to flames for a short time, phenyl silicone rubber compound will not burn violently or produce a large amount of toxic smoke, which meets the basic safety requirements of aviation materials.Comparison with other fireproof materialsAlthough phenyl silicone rubber compound has certain advantages in fire resistance, its flame retardant ability is still far behind that of special fireproof rubber materials (such as fluororubber, EPDM rubber, etc.). Fluororubber has higher self-extinguishing and lower flammability, and is often used in high-temperature and high-risk areas such as around engines. However, phenyl silicone rubber compound has moderate fire resistance while maintaining good elasticity and low-temperature performance, making it an ideal choice for certain non-core fire protection areas. This performance balance is particularly important for aerospace equipment that needs to take into account a variety of extreme conditions.Fire stability at extreme temperaturesA notable feature of phenyl silicone rubber compound is its extremely wide operating temperature range. It can be used for a long time between -100℃ and 300℃, and can even maintain flexibility and functional integrity in ultra-low temperature environments of -120℃. Under such temperature conditions, many traditional rubber materials will become brittle or lose elasticity, while phenyl silicone rubber compound can still maintain its physical and chemical properties. This stable structural property means that even if it encounters local high temperature or short-term flame attack at extreme temperatures, the material is not prone to cracking or failure, thus providing the system with a longer safe response time.Correlation between long-term aging and fire resistanceIn addition to short-term fire resistance performance, the long-term heat aging resistance of phenyl silicone rubber compound also has an important impact on its overall safety. Since aerospace equipment often needs to operate for a long time, the aging problem of materials cannot be ignored. Studies have shown that phenyl silicone rubber compound exhibits good antioxidant and anti-degradation capabilities in high temperature environments and can maintain its physical integrity during decades of service cycles. This means that even after long-term use, its structural stability in the event of a fire is still relatively reliable, which helps reduce the risk of unexpected failure due to material degradation.In summary, although phenyl silicone rubber compound is not specifically designed for applications with high fire protection levels, it has certain flame retardant properties after component optimization and additive treatment, and exhibits excellent comprehensive performance under a variety of complex working conditions such as extreme temperatures, chemical corrosion and mechanical stress. Therefore, in the aerospace industry, it is widely used in parts with moderate fire protection requirements and high requirements for low temperature resistance, oil resistance and vibration reduction performance.
