Silicone coatings for technical textiles

Pushing the limits of textiles with silicones

Silicones are ideal for coating technical textiles because they are versatile, easy to process, provide innovative performance features, and guarantee durability. With our range of silicone coatings, we're committed to pushing the limits of what technical textiles can do.

BLUESIL™ TCS (textile-coating silicone) systems are specifically engineered to achieve the best characteristics for both the substrates and the processes, enabling optimized interaction between the textile and the coating material. The textile composite can then provide the best possible functions for each application, including:

• Tensile and tear strength
• Thermal, fire and UV resistance
• Abrasion resistance
• Ageing performance and durability
• Eco-friendliness
• Waterproof characteristics
• Anti-slip capabilities
• Compatibility with human health, safety and comfort.

Applications

Many of the applications of technical textiles benefit can from the performance features of silicone coatings. These include:

Airbags: BLUESIL™ TCS coatings and seam sealers deliver the best and most durable compatibility with nylon and polyester textile substrates, thus ensuring that lighter and smaller airbags inflate in a split second at the time of deployment.

Your Technical Textiles Silicone Toolbox

Optimizing the interaction between the textile substrate, the coating material and the process makes the difference when aiming for premium performance.

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Silicone-coated fabrics: BLUESIL™ TCS products are used to create performance fabrics for high-end products such as furniture, automobile interiors and medical equipment. PU- and PVC-coated fabrics are no longer your only option when looking for leather alternatives. Silicone coatings are extremely durable, offer a modern look and comfortable feel, while remaining free of solvents or harmful chemicals.

Protective fabrics: BLUESIL™ TCS products are exceptionally resistant and withstand the harshest conditions of use. They bring added thermal insulation, as well as barrier properties against liquids, to medical garments or personal protective equipment.

Sporting goods: Specially engineered emulsions and BLUESIL™ TCS formulations for textile coating make it possible to manufacture lighter and highly flexible textiles that provide waterproofing and the capacity to withstand harsh weather conditions.

Wearables: To increase the comfort and utility of wearable devices, Elkem offers a range of solutions from anti-slip coatings to water-resistant coatings.

Anti-slip silicone coatings: A wide range of silicone elastomers are available for various anti-slip applications such as specialty conveyor belts, removable stickers, sports and working gloves, fashion accessories and medical devices, to name just a few.

Textile printing inks: Silicones are an environmentally friendly high-performance option for textile printing inks. BLUESIL™ TCS screen-printable silicones provide formulators and printers with a tool box to develop a print effect that meets their specific need.

Architectural textiles: Membranes and covering textiles used in buildings use silicone coatings to provide high-level mechanical properties, environmental resistance features and aesthetic qualities, such as luminosity. BLUESIL™ TCS products also enable these functional textiles to meet the highest safety standards.

Industrial textiles: Industrial textiles ranging from conveyor belts to textile heat shields benefit from silicone coatings. BLUESIL™ TCS products bring added thermal resistance, mechanical strength, and excellent adhesion to the textile substrate.

Ensuring that our products meet your needs

At Elkem, our experts are available worldwide to advise you and ensure that our products provide what is needed in your specific textile manufacturing processes.

BLUESIL™ TCS ingredients and formulations meet the highest quality standards and are easy to process and cost-effective. We work closely with manufacturers to meet current needs, and in long-term R&D partnerships to develop new products and meet evolving market demand and regulatory requirements. We also offer complete support services through our worldwide network, including reliable procurement and technical services.