Published
by Rogers Corporation
Elastomeric Material Solutions
Do silicones expire? Can you still use old sheets of foam or solid silicone? And what happens if adhesives are involved?
We will answer some common questions engineers have about the use and storage of BISCO® silicone materials so you can make smart decisions in the lab or on the factory floor.
We will also provide tips and tricks to help maintain product quality and ensure optimal material performance.
Silicone does not expire in the traditional sense, but it does have a manufacturer-recommended shelf life.
The good news is that silicone has a relatively long shelf life compared to other materials, especially when stored properly.
Understanding shelf life helps ensure:
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The shelf life of silicone depends on different factors including:
What is the shelf life of BISCO Silicones without adhesive?
Shelf life: 10 years from the date of manufacture
BISCO silicones show little to no physical degradation for long periods, making them a stable and reasonable material to stock. If stored in standard conditions, the shelf life for BISCO products without adhesive is 10 years from the date of manufacture.
The shelf life may vary once the material has been altered, such as if it is slit, laminated, or kept in extreme storage conditions.
Here are our top three tips for storing silicones without adhesive:
Silicones with adhesives have shorter shelf lives, with the adhesive being the limiting factor.
Shelf life (stored at standard conditions stated above):
Typically, silicone materials are laminated within a few days of shipment and will have more than 80% of the shelf life when shipped to a customer.
Please note that adhesives are not manufactured by Rogers Corporation and have their own respective shelf life. Please consult with your Rogers Sales Engineer for more information about the adhesives used in laminating BISCO silicone materials.
If you have silicone that is past its recommended shelf life of 10 years (without adhesive), the material may be tested to verify the physical properties such as compressive force deflection, tensile strength, elongation, and compression set.
You can then compare the test result values to technical data sheets.
Depending on the application requirements, if the test results are within spec and no significant degradation of properties occurred, the material may still be utilized past its recommended manufacturing shelf-life date.
Silicone materials with adhesive lamination present other issues that bear consideration. Here are the possible issues of silicone with adhesive lamination being past its shelf life:
Consult with a Rogers Sales Engineer to discuss test methods, results, and recommendations for your specific case.
Silicones should not be stacked directly on top of each other, as this could cause an effect known as "blocking."
Blocking can occur when the two surfaces are in direct contact, allowing the polymer to try to bond with the unprotected surface. BISCO silicones come with either a PET liner on cellular foam materials or kraft paper on non-talc solid materials to prevent the materials from blocking.
If the PET liner is removed and the product is stacked upon itself, there can be light bonding between the surfaces, which may lead to tearing of the foam surface or bonding of solid sheets.
Once the protective liner is removed, Rogers Corporation does not recommend stacking the material directly without an aid to prevent the blocking effect.
The following are typical barriers to reduce blocking:
Published on May 14, 2025
