Silicone Mold Cups Use Instructions
Also listed as: PRODUCT USE INSTRUCTIONS
Refer to the original PDF for tables, figures and page layout.
Page 1\nProduct Guide \nSilicone Mold Cups \nDate: 06/2020, v1.4 \nSilicone mold cups are made of silicone rubber and are used to encapsulate samples in acrylic \nor epoxy cold mounting products. Their 0.5" thick walls and 1" cup depth provides durability, \nstability and dimensional consistency from mount to mount. The mold cups are offered in a \nvariety of shapes and sizes and have corresponding central force sample holders available for \nuse with Allied grinding/polishing machines with a power head and either a 10" or 12" platen. \nItem Number \nMount Dimensions \nSample Holder \n#197-20000 \n2.25" x 4.25" x 1.25" (57 x 108 mm x 32 mm) oval \nNot yet available \n#197-20005 \n2" (51 mm) diameter \n#5-3440, #5-3662 \n#197-20011 \n1" x 2" (25 x 51 mm) rectangle \n#5-3490 \n#197-20025 \n1.3" x 2.6" (33 x 66 mm) rectangle \n#5-3491 \n#197-20030 \n1.9" x 1.9" (48 x 48 mm) square \n#5-3494 \n#197-20050 \n2" x 3.6" (51 x 91 mm) rectangle \n#5-3650 \n#197-20055 \n1.7" x 4.6" (43 x 118 mm) rectangle \n#5-3668 \n#197-20060 \n1.75" x 3.5" (45 x 89 mm) rectangle \n#5-3669 \n5-3650 Sample Holder for use with 197-20050 mold cups\nwww.alliedhightech.com \nAllied High Tech Products, Inc. \nCall for more information: 800.675.1118 \n\n\nPage 2\nwww.alliedhightech.com \nAllied High Tech Products, Inc. \nCall for more information: 800.675.1118 \n2 of 2 \nInstructions for Use with Epoxy \nSince the mixing ratios for most epoxy products are formulated for 1.25" ø x 1" T mounts to \ncure at room temperature (77° F, 25° C), using these mixing ratios at room temperature with \nthe larger silicone mold cups can cause the epoxy to have a higher exothermic temperature \nduring the cure cycle. If the exothermic temperature becomes too high, the epoxy will overheat \nand possibly crack, turn yellow, shrink or damage the sample. Two ways to overcome these \nproblems are as follows: \n1. Reduce the ratio of hardener to resin of the epoxy being used. It may take some\nexperimentation to determine the correct ratios and amounts needed for a particular\nmold size. See the appropriate epoxy product guide for more information.\n2. Dissipate heat from the curing epoxy by placing the silicone mold cup in a shallow bath\nof cold water.\nInstructions for Use with Acrylic \nThe mixing ratio for most acrylics is 2:1 powder to liquid mixed by volume. It may take some \nexperimentation to determine the correct amounts needed for a particular mold size while \nmaintaining the correct mixing ratio. See the appropriate acrylic product guide for more \ninformation. \nExpected Mold Life \nWhen using the following cold mounting materials, silicone mold cups will last for: \n•\nAcrylic – 100+ mounts\n•\nEpoxy – 20-30 mounts, depending on the cure temperature and active chemicals of the\nspecific epoxy used\nAfter the indicated number of uses, the molds will become brittle and hard, causing them to \nflake. The mounting material will also adhere to the mold walls, making it more difficult to \nremove mounts after they are cured. \nMold release (#200-10006, #200-10010 or #200-10015) can be used to reduce adhesion of the \nmounting material to the mold walls, making it easier to remove cured mounts from the molds. \nUsing mold release can also prolong the life of the mold cups by protecting the silicone from \nchemicals found in some cold mounting materials. \nTechnical Information \nSilicone Rubber \nHardness (Shore A) \n40 \nTensile Strength (MPa) \n5.5 \nElongation (%) \n350 \nTear Strength (kN/m) \n25 \nOperating Temperature (°C) \n-60 ≤ T ≤ 250\n