Why do silicone hoses age and what are the reasons that affect their service life?

Silicone hose is also very common in daily life. It is made of silicone raw material and is a highly active adsorbent material with an open porous structure, strong adsorption ability, and the ability to adsorb various substances. At the same time, it also has stable chemical properties, is non-toxic and odorless, and is a very safe and environmentally friendly material. What causes the aging of silicone products? Due to the aging of silicone products, many mechanical components cannot operate normally under specific conditions. Below are a few analysis reasons for your reference.

1. The effect of heat
Raising the temperature can cause thermal cracking or cross-linking of silicone products. But the basic function of heat is still activation. Improving the oxygen diffusion rate and activating the oxidation reaction, thereby accelerating the oxidation reaction rate of silica gel, is a common aging phenomenon called thermal oxygen aging.
2. The role of oxygen
Oxygen undergoes a free radical chain reaction with silica gel molecules in silicone gel, causing molecular chains to break or over crosslink, resulting in changes in the properties of silicone rubber products.
3. Reasons for light
The shorter the light wave, the greater the energy. The destructive effect on silicone is caused by high-energy ultraviolet radiation. Ultraviolet radiation can not only directly cause the breakage and cross-linking of silicone molecular chains, but also generate free radicals in rubber due to the absorption of light energy, triggering and accelerating the oxidation chain reaction process.

4. The role of ozone
Ozone has much higher chemical reactive oxygen species and greater destructive power. It also causes molecular chain breakage, but the effect of ozone on silicone gel varies depending on whether the rubber is deformed or not.
5. The role of water
The role of water has two aspects: silicone products are prone to damage when exposed to humid air, rain, or water immersion. This is because water-soluble substances and components such as water droplets in silicone are extracted and dissolved by water.
6. The effect of mechanical stress
Under repeated mechanical stress, rubber molecular chains will break and generate free radicals, triggering an oxidative chain reaction and forming a mechanochemical process.
7. Other reasons include chemical media, valence metal ions, high-energy radiation, electricity, and biology.

Due to the stable chemical properties of silicone hoses, they are resistant to both high and low temperatures. Even when heated, they do not produce toxic substances or deform. The silicone hoses widely used in medicine are food grade silicone hoses that are non-toxic and odorless. The pacifiers commonly used by children are also made of silicone, which is a food grade silicone material and has characteristics such as drop resistance and easy cleaning.