 Silicone

A silicone is a polymeric material with a silicon-oxygen backbone bearing organic substituents, commonly methyl groups. Polydimethylsiloxane is a familiar example.

Backbone flexibility, side groups, chain length, and crosslinking determine whether the material behaves as a fluid, gel, or elastic solid. Silicone is a polymer family and should be distinguished from elemental silicon and inorganic silicon dioxide.