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PlatSil® Gel Silicone Rubbers
PlatSil® Gel Silicone Rubbers are the industry standard in the special effects industry for creating life-like theatrical prosthetic appliances for film, television and theater. They are also used for life casting, prop making and general silicone mold making.
These versatile platinum-cured silicones are skin-safe, fast-setting and offer simple 1A:1B mix ratios by weight or volume.
An array of accessory products can be used independently or in concert to increase working time, accelerate cure time, thicken the mix for brushing/layering, increase Shore Hardness, thin the mix for easier pouring, or “deaden” the rubber to soften and eliminate the snappy, synthetic look and feel of ordinary silicone rubbers.
Select an option below for more detailed product specifications and buying information:
| Product | Mix Ratio | Shore Hardness | Pour Time | Demold Time | Cured Color |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlatSil® Gel-OO20 | 1A:1B | OO20 | 40 min. | 2 hr. | Milky White |
| PlatSil® Gel-OO30 | 1A:1B | OO30 | 45 min. | 4 hr. | Milky White |
| PlatSil® Gel-OO | 1A:1B | OO30 | 6 min. | 30 min. | Milky White |
| PlatSil® Gel-10 | 1A:1B | A10 | 6 min. | 30 min. | Milky White |
| PlatSil® Gel-25 | 1A:1B | A25 | 5 min. | 60 min. | Milky White |
NOTE ON CURE INHIBITION: Sulfur/tin/amine-contaminated materials and tools will cause cure inhibition in platinum-cured silicone rubbers, which means that the rubber that is in contact with the contaminated surface will remain gummy or uncured. Make sure to test cure the rubber on your surface before full-scale application. Use a polyurethane or tin-cured silicone rubber if you know that you’ll be working with any of these inhibitors.
| Deadener/Softener | Add Smith’s Theatrical Prosthetic Deadener or PlatSil® Deadener LV (Low-Viscosity) to soften, or “deaden” PlatSil® Gel rubber. See details below in “Deadener & Hardener” section. |
| Hardener | Add PlatSil® Part H Hardener to increase the Shore hardness for any PlatSil Gel. It also increases working and demold time. See details below in “Deadener & Hardener” section. |
| Color Pigments | Use Silicone Color Pigments to create custom colors in silicone rubber. Available in fleshtone, red, blue, green, yellow, black and white. |
| Thickener | Add PlatThix liquid thickener to PlatSil Gels to thicken the mix to a light-bodied, non-sag gel. |
| Retarder | Add PlatSil® 71/73 Part R Retarder to slow the cure of PlatSil products. |
| Accelerator | Add PlatSil® 71/73 Part X Accelerator to accelerate the cure of PlatSil products. |
| Thinning Agent/Softener | Add Silicone Fluid 50 cSt to the mixed rubber to thin the mix. More than 10% fluid addition may exude from the cured rubber. To soften without oil leaching, use Smith’s Theatrical Prosthetic Deadener or Deadener LV. |
Add Smith’s Theatrical Prosthetic Deadener or PlatSil® Deadener LV (Low-Viscosity) to PlatSil® Gels to eliminate the snappy, synthetic feel of silicone and create the appearance and feel of living tissue. The addition of deadener is not recommended for PlatSil® Gel-OO30 and PlatSil® Gel-OO20.
Deadener increases the softness of silicone; PlatSil® Part H Hardener increase the hardness. For example, PlatSil® Gel-25, PlatSil® Deadener LV and PlatSil® Part H Hardener can be mixed at varying ratios to achieve hardness ranging from Shore OOO30 to A40.
To reduce the tackiness that presents itself with the addition of Deadener, either encapsulate the silicone or simply brush-on talcum powder. For self-sticking, reusable appliances, do not apply powder to the backside of the appliance. Unlike silicone fluid, Deadener does not leach from the cured rubber/appliance, so bonding and use are far simpler.
Review the Deadener & Hardener Technical Bulletin for detailed information.
Skin-safe PlatSil® Gels can be used to create reusable lifecasts. Use PlatSil® Gel-10 or PlatSil® Gel-25 in conjunction with TinThix liquid thickener and/or PlatSil® 71/73 Part X Accelerator for application when necessary (this will reduce sag and speed the process). A release agent, like Vaseline®, must be applied to the model prior to the lifecasting process. A variety of materials can be cast into PlatSil® Gel molds without release agent, including polyurethane resin, foam and rubber, wax and plaster. Silicone rubber can be cast in PlatSil® Gel molds when the proper release agent is used (i.e., Pol-Ease® 2500 Release Agent).
PlatSil® Gel-25 is a good option for making poured block molds (e.g., flat molds) or brush-on molds for casting prosthetics and parts or props. PlatSil® Gel-25 cures to a Shore A25, but with the addition of PlatSil® Part H Hardener, Gel-25 can be made as hard as Shore A40.
PlatSil® Gels are a great option for creating life-like, silicone props. In some cases, it may be more prudent to create a silicone “skin” backfilled with polyurethane or silicone foam instead of a solid silicone part. This option is much lighter and easier to handle and it costs less to manufacture.
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