What is Room Temperature Vulcanizing Silicone?

RTV Silicone: It’s Like Magic Glue!

RTV silicone is a special kind of glue. It’s like the glue you use at school, but it’s much stronger. It can fix lots of things! It comes in a tube, like toothpaste.

1. What is RTV Silicone?

RTV means it dries all by itself. You don’t need an oven. You don’t need heat. It just dries in the air! 1

• It’s made of silicone, a type of rubber.
• It can be one part or two parts you mix.
• It is not the same thing a heat cured silicone.

It is super easy to use and it can save tons of time.

2. What Can You Do With RTV Silicone? So Many Things!

RTV silicone can fix things at home and in big factories!

At Home:

• Fix a leaky sink or tub.
• Make cool molds for toys.
• Stick things together, like glass and metal.

In Factories:

• Fix car engines! 
• Keep wires safe in computers.
• Make molds for big things.

RTV adhesives works really great on boats.

3. Five Types of RTV Silicone: Pick the Right One!

There are different kinds of RTV silicone. It’s like picking your favorite ice cream!

1. Acetoxy Cure: This one smells like vinegar. It’s cheap and dries fast! But don’t use it on metal things.
2. Neutral Cure: This one doesn’t smell bad. It’s safe for wires and metal.
3. Medical-Grade: This one is super safe. Doctors can use it inside your body! 3
4. High-Temp RTV: This one can handle very hot things, like car engines. 2
5. Food-Safe: This one is safe to use near your food.

4. How to Pick the Best RTV Silicone: It’s Like a Puzzle!

You need to pick the right one for your job.

• What are you sticking it to? Glass? Metal? Plastic?
• How fast do you need it to dry?
• Will it get hot or wet?
• Do you need it to be safe for food or your body? If you are working indoors, get low-VOC!.

Don’t put acetoxy near electronics, it might corrode the metal.

5. How to Use RTV Silicone: Step-by-Step!

It’s easy to use RTV silicone! Just follow these steps:

1. Clean the things you want to stick. Use alcohol to wipe them. No dirt or oil!
2. Put the glue on. Use a special gun or a small tube.
3. Let it sit, with optimimal humidity. Don’t use too much glue!
4. . Want it to dry faster? Use a special dryer.

6. Mistakes to Avoid: Don’t Do These!

Be careful! Don’t make these mistakes:

• Don’t forget to clean! The glue won’t stick.
• Don’t use it when it’s too cold! It won’t dry.
• Don’t use the wrong kind near metal! It can make it rusty.
• Check the date on the tube! Old glue won’t work well.

7. Be Safe! Keep it Safe!

RTV silicone can be tricky. Be safe!

• Don’t breathe the fumes. Open a window.
• Don’t get it on your skin. Wear gloves.
• Keep the tube closed tight. Put it in a cool, dry place.

8. Questions You Might Ask (FAQs)

Q: Does RTV silicone stick to plastic?

A: Yes! But you might need a special helper called a primer.

Q: Is RTV silicone heat resistant?

A: Yes! Some kinds can handle very high heat. 2

Q: Can you paint it?

A: Usually no. You need a special paint.

Q: Is it waterproof?

A: Yes! It’s great for keeping water out.

9. Best Brands to Buy: Good Choices!

Here are some good brands to buy:

• For Cars: Permatex Ultra Black RTV. 2
• For Computers: Dow Corning 732.
• For Molds: Smooth-On Mold Star and Topsil Silicone
• For Doctors: NuSil. 3

More cool stuff!

RTV Silicone and Cars

RTV silicone is very important for cars. It helps keep engines running! It stops leaks and keeps things stuck together. About 20-30% fewer engines break when they use RTV silicone! 2

Some factories put in engine gaskets really fast. They found that using RTV Sealants are 50% quicker than using heat-cured ones.4

RTV Silicone and Computers

RTV silicone keeps computers safe from water. Over 90% of big phone companies use it to protect their wires outside. 5 It stops the wires from getting rusty.

RTV Silicone and Spaceships!

RTV silicone is even used in spaceships! It keeps them safe from the very cold and very hot temperatures in space. About 85% of spaceships use it! 6

RTV Silicone and Doctors

Doctors use a special kind of RTV silicone that is safe for your body. It’s called medical-grade RTV silicone. It can be used inside you! 3

RTV Silicone is Easy to Use!

Most people think RTV silicone is easy to use at home. About 67% of people said it was easy! 7 It comes in a tube, so it’s easy to put on.

RTV Silicone is Getting More Popular!

RTV silicone is used in many factories. The market for RTV Silicone in 2023 was over 3 Billion dollars! 8Lots of cars and computers are made. So people will keep using more RTV silicone.

A note from the Author: the above data is old and should be used as an illustration of common findings. Always use the most up to date information.

Internal Links ：

• You can make molds for toys using Silicone for resin mold making.
• People use special molds to make hard hats use Silicone for Rapid Protyping Casting.
• Sometimes people make molds for statues use Silicone for Concrete&Stone Molding.