Gelest Launches Unusual Silicone

Organosilicon compound maker Gelest will begin selling a silica-nanoparticle-reinforced elastomer capable of stretching to nearly 50 times its original size before breaking. The firm originally unveiled the new siloxane polymer, known as ExSil 100, at the ACS national meeting in Boston last August. “The elastomer has no apparent cross-linking, which is typically a requirement for elastomeric behavior in silicones,” says Jonathan Goff, a senior R&D manager at the firm. The firm envisions uses for the polymer in injectable microfluidic devices, implantable microsensors, and optical devices.