Silicone solutions for solidifying transportation infrastructures

As the world's population and urban areas continue to grow, transport infrastructure is exposed to harsher environmental conditions and intense traffic, placing greater challenges on materials and creating greater risks of corrosion and damage. To solve this problem, transportation system managers and engineers have been working on strengthening and protecting the infrastructure.

The key to achieve this essential goal is to seal infrastructures and their interfaces made of different materials. For example, there is a need to eliminate any possible leaks or chemical infiltration between concrete and steel components and since certain infrastructures serve multiple transportation vehicles, they require robust sealants that resist vibration or pollution. Elkem has developed a wide range of construction sealants which enable engineers and builders to seal very different materials together, efficiently and durably to ensure safety and comfort for all.

What are the main long-term advantages of Elkem silicone-based materials for sealing transportation infrastructure components? 

Silicone sealants are formulated with different functional group structures in the organic silicon polymer main chain to be flexible, adherent and extremely durable over time, so that they continue to deliver the performance level of their initial specifications for many years. The sealing materials we produce, used for construction in general and transport infrastructures in particular, can protect the surface of multiple building materials from the erosion of external environmental conditions; They also offer excellent insulating performance and offer tensile strength, good elasticity, and better temperature and ageing resistance than other sealing materials.  

From a processing and installation point of view, silicone sealants for transport infrastructure offer the following advantages: 

• Efficient extrudability, for production efficiency during installation
• Sturdy mechanical properties for provide strong adhesion on all surfaces, including concrete, steel, stone, bricks, wood, etc.
• Long-term resistance to degradation 
• Four packaging options for different construction practices, including drums, big bags, cartridges and tubes
• Non-toxic substances to ensure safety for builders and installers.

For engineers, facility managers and end-users, silicone sealants for transport infrastructures feature: 

• Long-lasting sealant protection
• High water repellency
• Strong resistance to extreme weather conditions and pollution to ensure durability
• Low surface tension and excellent elasticity to prevent breakage
• Where required, flame-proof sealants to isolate different spaces from smoke and toxic fumes
• Non-toxic substances to ensure safety for end-users.

Our product offering

Our vast BLUESIL^™ SLT and STARSIL™ line of products features both acetoxy and alkoxy silicone elastomers in one or two-component systems, offering high-performance mechanical properties that are ideal for applications in transportation infrastructure applications. These products cure at ambient temperature to form a strong, flexible long-lasting seal. 

Our existing line of products is being reinforced through the recent purchase of Basel Chemie, a Korean producer of advanced water repellents for the construction industry and owner of a wide portfolio of specialty products. The acquisition gives Elkem access to leading technologies and R&D capabilities that are currently being leveraged for our construction-related products, including transportation infrastructure. 

Here is outstanding example of efficient solutions for transportation infrastructures in our vast product offering:

STARSIL™ SLT 6050 is a one component, neutral curing, ready-to-use silicone elastomer suitable for weather sealing and bonding seals in construction applications. It cures quickly at room temperature in the presence of air moisture to give a flexible and strong seal. And it’s a silicone weatherproofing sealant designed for transportation infrastructures

Why choose Elkem as your partner for silicone insulated window applications?

Elkem was the first silicone manufacturer to introduce a sealant cartridge in 1957 and since then, the company’s R&D, working closely with builders, has continued to develop new silicone-based applications for construction of all types, including Transportation infrastructures. Our products are versatile, customizable, safe and easy to process, provide innovative and robust performance features and guarantee safety for manufacturers, building professionals and end-users.

We are also available to work collaboratively upstream on R&D to develop customized products that meet evolving market needs and regulatory changes.