How is silicone both a lubricant and a non-slip/sticky thing?

Question

Edit: please explain like I am actually five.

In: 2979

Answer 1

Silica is kind of like carbon in many ways, and makes nice chains of molecules (polymerizes in certain chemical situations). If you play with the secondary constituents of that polymer (add certain organic functional groups to a basic chain of Si-O-Si-O-Si), you can vary the nature of the silicone polymers and change its physical properties. These polymer compounds are called polysiloxanes, or “silocone” for general use. Different structures are quite possible, from platy sheets to long thin chains to 3D structures.

Although all basically the same idea, the details of the materials are different, and it is how the polymers form together in detail which matters to how the material will function, physically.

Games with chemistry.