WACKER ELASTOSIL FX Platinum Cure Silicone Rubber User Guide

ELASTOSIL FX Platinum Cure Silicone Rubber
User Guide

ELASTOSIL FX Platinum Cure Silicone Rubber

HOW TO WORK WITH THE FX RANGE
FX platinum-cure silicone rubber products can be used to create realistic skin effects in movie, television and theater. This user guide contains helpful and relevant information on the storage, preparation, mixing and adjustment of ELASTOSIL ELASTOSIL ® FX, ensuring that you get the best out of ELASTOSIL ® FX for your special effects. ELASTOSIL® FX product range
Product Info
ELASTOSIL® FX range consists of 4 base rubber grades and 4 additives. The base roducts are pourable, addition-curing, two-component silicone rubber grades (RTV-2) that cure at room temperature to form an elastic, flexible material.
Your Options with the ELASTOSIL® FX Range Toolbox:

• Start by mixing ELASTOSIL® FX:
  … 30 Gel A/B – Shore 00 hardness of ~30
  … 10 A/B – Shore A hardness of ~10
  … 20 A/B – Shore A hardness of ~20
  … 28 A/B – Shore A hardness of ~28

• (Optional) adjust the curing time:
  Speed up curing with ELASTOSIL® FX
  Fast Cure, or slow down curing and increase working time with ELASTOSIL® FX Slow Cure

• (Optional) adjust the flow characteristics:
  Adjust the flow of the base rubber from thin to thicker or paste-like with ELASTOSIL ® FX Thixo

• (Optional) adjust the final hardness:
  Use ELASTOSIL® FX Softener to soften the base rubber without leaving the surface oily.

ELASTOSIL ® FX A/B:
WEIGH AND MIX THE BASE RUBBER
Weighing & Mixing: Component A + B

1. Before you start mixing the A and B components, first think about how much material you will need to avoid waste: for a total of 100 grams, you will need 50 g of component A + 50 g of component B.
2. Switch on the scale. Place your clean mixing container on the scale, which will display the weight of the container. Press the Tare button to zero the scale.
3. Before you pour out the A and B components, please stir them thoroughly in their original containers.
4. our the required amount of component A into your clean mixing container and immediately close the lid of the original container.
5. Pour the same amount of component B into the mixing container (add it to component A) and immediately close the lid of the original container.
6. Thoroughly mix the components for at least 30 seconds for small amounts, taking special care to reach the corners and the bottom of your container. Scrape the sides with your mixing utensil and ensure that any residual material is mixed in thoroughly.
7. Curing begins once A and B have been mixed. This marks the beginning of the pot life, so be sure to process the material as soon as possible.
8. If you wish to de-gas with a vacuum chamber, make sure everything is set up and ready before starting the mixing.

ELASTOSIL®  X A/B in 5 + 5 kg pails with lids optimized for frequent open / closing
Preparation & Mixing – Important to Know

• The platinum catalyst is contained in component A.
• A and B components may only be used together if they have the same batch number.
• To ensure optimum flow of the material, the components must be stirred thoroughly in their containers before they are removed or processed.
• Platinum-curing silicones need to be weighed and mixed properly to ensure perfect curing.
• Curing can be affected by contact with a diverse range of materials. For example, materials that include sulfur or amino-tin compounds (RTV-2 tin catalysts). Do not use latex gloves; nitrile or vinyl gloves are preferred. Modeling clay can also inhibit curing.
• Curing time is affected by the ambient  temperature – faster when warmer,  slower  when cool. Please mix a small test batch to  ensure your actual temperature conditions will provide enough time to work with the  material.

ELASTOSIL® FX FAST CURE OR SLOW CURE:
SPEEDING UP OR SLOWING DOWN THE CURING TIME
If you wish to change the curing time of the ELASTOSIL® FX base rubber, first weigh and mix the required amount of base material as described under Weighing & Mixing. Then add ELASTOSIL® FX Fast Cure or Slow Cure in the required amount and again stir thoroughly. These figures are intended as a guide and should not be used in preparing specifications.
Drop Dosing Recommendation: ELASTOSIL ® FX Fast Cure (for Small Volumes)

| Drops| Pot life / Working time| Curing time
---|---|---|---
0| 8 min| 35 min
7  – 10| 6 min| 20 min
20  – 25| 3 min| 10 min

Drops per 100 g ELASTOSIL® FX A/B
Our additives are designed to offer the maximum effect at a minimal, but still convenient dosage. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the effect by conducting small tests before beginning the real application.

Drop Dosing Recommendation: ELASTOSIL® FX Slow Cure (for Small Volumes)

Drops per 100 g ELASTOSIL® FX A/B
ELASTOSIL® FX THIXO:
ADJUST THE FLOW FROM THIN TO THICKER OR PASTE-LIKE

Drop Dosing Recommendation:
ELASTOSIL® FX Thixo (for Small Volumes)

ELASTOSIL® FX Thixo is added to thicken the base rubber for better workability on vertical surfaces.

ELASTOSIL ® FX SOFTENER:
ACHIEVE YOUR PREFERRED HARDNESS
Adjust Your Preferred Hardness by Adding ELASTOSIL® FX Softener By adding ELASTOSIL® FX Softener, you can bring down the hardness of your ELASTOSIL®
FX base rubber to achieve more “flesh-like” textures. The softer you go, the greater the tack will be, but the surface will never be oily. First weigh and mix the amount of basematerial you need as described under Weighing & Mixing. Then add the required amount of ELASTOSIL® FX Softener and again stir thoroughly. Here are 2 sample calculations starting from ELASTOSIL® FX 20 and from FX 10. The amount of Softener to add is calculated as a percentage of the total of components A and B. Example: 50% addition = 50 g A + 50 g B + 50 g Softener
FX 20 and Adding a Certain Percentage [%] of Softener Sample Calculation Starting with ELASTOSIL®

FX Softener [%]| 0| 5| 10| 15| 20| 25| 30| 35| 40| 45| 50|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
Shore A| 20| 17| 13| 10| 8| 6| 5| 3| 2| —| —| Shore A
Shore 00| —| —| —| —| 50| 45| 43| 34| 25| 20| 18| Shore 00
Tack| –| –| –| –| –| (-)| (-)| (+)| +| ++| ++| Tack

Sample Calculation Starting with ELASTOSIL® FX 10 and Adding a Certain Percentage [%] of Softener

Shore A| 0| 5| 10| 15| 20| 25| 30| 35| 40| 45| 50|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---
FX Softener [%]| 10| 8| 7| 6| 3| 3| 2| 1| —| —| —| Shore A
Shore 00| —| 50| 48| 38| 33| 30| 25| 18| 13| 11| 0| Shore 00
Tack| –| –| –| –| (-)| (-)| (+)| +| ++| ++| +++| Tack

Calculation example for [%]: A/B + 10%, e.g. 100 g A + 100 g B + 20 g Softener

General Information

Storage

• ELASTOSIL® FX products are best stored between 5 °C and 30 °C in the tightly closed original container. The best-before date of each batch appears on the product  label.
• Storage beyond the date specified on the label does not necessarily mean that the  oduct is no longer usable. In this case, however, the properties required for the intended use must be checked for quality assurance reasons.
• Use up residual material in containers as soon as possible and take care to close containers immediately after use.

Health & Safety
You should familiarize yourself with any products, materials or equipment you are using and take appropriate health and safety measures to protect yourself and others
around you from harm. Please consult the relevant MSDS information (Material Safety Data Sheet).
Further Help
For more information contact your local  supplier or infodrawin@wacker.com or+49 89 608 690ELASTOSIL ® FX Softener in 2 kg bottle with convenient handle
Wacker Chemie AG, 81737 Munich, Germany, Phone: +49 89 6279-1741 info@wacker.com, www.wacker.com/elastosil- fx, www.wacker.com/socialmedia

The data presented in this medium are in accordance with the present state of our knowledge but do not absolve the user from carefully checking all supplies immediately on receipt.
We reserve the right to alter product constants within the scope of technical progress or new developments. The recommendations made in this medium should be checked by preliminary trials because of conditions during processing over which we have no control, especially where other companies’ raw materials are also being used. The information provided by us does not absolve the user from the obligation of investigating the possibility of infringement of third parties’ rights and, if necessary, clarifying the position. Recommendations for use do not constitute a warranty, either express or implied, of the fitness or suitability of the product for a particular purpose.

7780e/01.20

References

• ELASTOSIL® FX silicone rubber grades and additives for Special FX Molding - Wacker Chemie AG
• Social Media - Wacker Chemie AG

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