There are significant differences between organosilicon and silica gel in terms of chemical composition, physical properties, chemical properties and application areas.
Chemical composition
Organosilicon: Organosilicon, that is, organosilicon compounds, refers to compounds containing Si-C bonds and at least one organic group directly connected to silicon atoms. It is customary to regard compounds that connect organic groups to silicon atoms through oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, etc. as organosilicon compounds. Among them, polysiloxanes with silicon-oxygen bonds (-Si-O-Si-) as the skeleton are the most numerous, most deeply studied and most widely used type of organosilicon compounds. Organic silica gel is mainly composed of organosilicon oxanes, which also contain some organic groups, such as methyl and phenyl.
Silica gel: Silica gel usually refers to inorganic silica gel, which is composed of inorganic silicon compounds such as silicon dioxide, silicates, etc., and does not contain organic groups. The main component of silica gel desiccant is silicon dioxide, which is a typical inorganic silica gel.
Physical properties
Form and color: Organic silicone can present a variety of forms, such as liquid, solid, semi-solid, etc., and the colors are also rich, including transparent, white, black, etc. Inorganic silicone is generally white or colorless solid particles, and also in powder form.
Hardness: Organic silicone has a wide range of hardness, which can be adjusted according to different application requirements, from soft elastomers to harder solids. Inorganic silicone has a relatively high hardness and is generally harder.
Density: Organic silicone has a relatively small density, generally between 0.9 and 1.5 g/cm3, which makes organic silicone have advantages in some applications that require weight. Inorganic silicone has a large density, usually above 2 g/cm3, because its molecular structure is relatively tight and the mass is relatively large.
Chemical properties
Temperature resistance: Organic silicone has good high and low temperature resistance and can generally be used in a temperature range of -60℃ to 200℃ or even higher. Some special organic silicones can maintain elasticity at low temperatures of -100℃ and will not decompose at high temperatures of 300℃. Inorganic silicone also has good high temperature resistance and can be used at higher temperatures, generally able to withstand temperatures above 1000°C.
Chemical corrosion resistance: Organic silicone has good tolerance to many chemicals, such as acids, alkalis, organic solvents, etc., but may degrade in the presence of some strong oxidizing chemicals. Inorganic silicone has very good chemical corrosion resistance and can resist the erosion of almost all chemicals because its chemical structure is very stable and does not react easily with other substances.
Flame retardancy: Inorganic silicone itself has good flame retardancy, does not burn, and does not produce toxic gases, which makes inorganic silicone widely used in some fields with high fire protection requirements, such as construction, electronics and other industries. Although organic silicone also has a certain flame retardancy, it is not as good as inorganic silicone.
Application fields
Organic silica gel: Due to its excellent properties such as temperature resistance, weather resistance, electrical insulation, physiological inertness, low surface tension and low surface energy, it is widely used in aviation, cutting-edge technology, military technology departments, as well as various national economic sectors such as construction, electronics and electrical, textiles, automobiles, machinery, leather and papermaking, chemical and light industry, metals and paints, and medicine and medical treatment. Specific examples include electronic component packaging, protection and insulation in the electronics and electrical industry; sealing, waterproofing and heat insulation in the construction industry; and parts manufacturing and assembly in the automotive industry.
Inorganic silica gel: Due to its high active adsorption performance, good thermal stability, stable chemical properties, and high mechanical strength, it is widely used in gas drying, gas absorption, liquid dehydration, chromatography, and other fields. It is also often used as a catalyst carrier and a raw material for high-performance ceramic materials such as silica gel ceramics. In addition, inorganic silica gel is also widely used as a desiccant in the packaging of food, medicines, electronic products, etc., to absorb moisture in the air and prevent the product from getting damp.
In summary, there are significant differences between organic silicone and silica gel in many aspects, and these differences give them each unique application fields and advantages.