Material Differences:
Silicone molds are specialized molds for making handicrafts. They are generally made by mixing silicone and a curing agent in a specific ratio, then curing at room temperature or under heating. They feature high temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, strong tear resistance, and high fidelity in detail. Silicone is a thermosetting material and is generally formed by compression molding. Silicone has good fluidity, so silicone molds do not require sprues, and they are cheaper than plastic molds.
Plastic molds are a general term for composite molds used in compression molding, extrusion molding, injection molding, blow molding, and low-foaming molding. They are also called plastic molds or injection molds. They have the characteristic of being able to process plastic parts of different shapes. Previously, factories in mainland China were called plastic factories, while those in Hong Kong and Taiwan were called plastic companies. Plastic is a thermoplastic material, and injection molding is generally used. Plastic molds are known as the "mother of industry," and many new product releases now involve plastics.
Structural Differences:
The material of silicone molds is mold silicone, and the general structure consists of five components: base polymer, crosslinking agent, catalyst, filler, and additives. In fact, the base polymer, crosslinking agent, and filler constitute one component, while the catalyst is a separate component. This is why mold silicone is a two-component room-temperature curing silicone.
The structure of plastic molds mainly includes a cavity mold with a variable cavity composed of a cavity mold combination base plate, cavity mold components, and a cavity mold combination clamping plate; and a core mold with a variable core composed of a core mold combination base plate, core mold components, core mold combination clamping plate, cavity cut-off components, and side cut-off combination plates. To improve the performance of plastics, various auxiliary materials are added to the polymer, such as fillers, plasticizers, lubricants, stabilizers, and colorants.
Differences in Use:
Silicone raw materials can be divided into solid silicone and liquid silicone according to their physical properties. Solid silicone is mainly used for compression molded products. For example, silicone covers, silicone tableware, silicone molds, silicone buttons, etc. Liquid silicone is mainly used in extrusion molded products, such as silicone pacifiers and silicone tubes.
Plastic parts are widely used in every aspect of modern life, such as household appliances, instruments and meters, wires and cables, building materials, communication electronics, the automotive industry, aerospace, and daily hardware. The widespread use and convenience of plastics have led to negative consequences, prompting the implementation of "plastic bans" in some areas.
Environmental protection is a major concern today, and silicone is a new type of environmentally friendly raw material. With the trend of social development, the future prospects of silicone are very promising and will undoubtedly improve. More uses for silicone will gradually be discovered. In contrast, plastics pose a greater threat to the environment, and if reasonable solutions are not found, they will inevitably be replaced by silicone.
