Silicone
Polymers
Organo-silicon
compounds were studied by Kipping between 1899
and 1937.
J F Hyde at
Corning glass manufacturers was aware of Kipping's
work and investigated silicones as materials with
properties intermediate between glasses and the
more conventional plastics. Corning demonstrated
a heat resistant dielectric which in combination
with glass fibre tapes looked promising for
electrical insulating purposes.
In 1943, with Dow
Chemicals, they formed a joint company Dow-Corning
Corporation to produce silicone polymers.
Meanwhile, the General Electric Company under the
leadership of Eugene Rochow had prepared similar
polymers using a different approach and they
began commercial production in 1946.
Silicone polymers
have an unusual combination of properties
including water repellency, low surface tension,
anti-stick properties and high temperature
resistance. They can be produced as liquids,
thermoplastic and thermosetting resins from very
hard to soft, rubber like materials.
Production
commenced in the UK in 1954 by Albright &
Wilson under licence from Dow and in 1955, by ICI
using rights under the General Electric process.
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