11. Silicones in the Electronics Industries

Before 1943, planes could maintain high altitudes for only a few minutes before ignition losses due to moisture condensing in the engines. A simple thickened PDMS grease was the solution and an early example of the excellent dielectric properties of silicones. This application also illustrates key properties of silicones in the electronic industries like hydrophobicity and high dielectric breakdown (keeping moisture away and avoiding loss of high voltage/low current signals), as well as their resistance to low or high temperatures, which allow use in harsh and critical environments [1].