1. SILICONE FAÇADE ENGINEERING:
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Valérie Hayez, DOW SILICONES
Delft 11-02-2020

2. 1940
ONE SMALL ELEMENT…
2000 1990 1970
1950 1960

3. … BUT A GIANT IMPACT FOR BUILDINGS
3
Sealing to ensure
Weathertightness
Sealing to deliver Acoustic
Insulation
Sealing to ensure continuity
of the Fire Rating of the
Building and its envelope
Sealing IGU,
providing Energy Efficiency and
Comfort
Bonding glass to frames:
acting as a « structural »
element
In a Sustainable way
Enabling full glass façade
designs

4. SILICONE?
4
Quartz /Sand SiO2 Coal : C
CO
SiO2 + 2 C Si + 2 CO
High Temp.
Electrical Arc Oven
Si
From sand (SiO2) to Silicon Metal (Si)

5. SILICONE?
5
Silicon Metal
Grinder
Reactor
Distillation
Silicone Oil
Methyl Chloride
Methanol
Water
Me2SiCl2
Me3SiCl
MeSiCl3
Me2SiCl2
Mixture
…
MeOH
MeCl
HCl
H2O
Si
(Me2SiO)n
In Out
Silicone polymer
Polymer Unit
From Silicon Metal To Silicone polymer

6. SILICONE
6
Si O Si XSi O
C H
H
H C H
H
H C H
H
H
C HH
H
C HH
H
C HH
H
n
X
Silicone ≈ siloxane

7. • Polymer – Helicoidal Si polymer chain
• Crosslinker – Links polymer chains to form a solid rubber after
cure. Different crosslinkers are used for different cure systems
(acetoxy, methoxy, oxime, etc.)
• Catalyst – Affects the rate of reaction
• Filler – Reinforcement that provides strength to sealant
• Plasticizer – Non-reactive fluid that can add elasticity (and
potentially staining).
▪ Adhesion Promoters – Link polymer network to the substrates
• Additives – Fungicides, pigments, etc.
to provide additional function in sealant
SILICONE SEALANT
7
Catalyst Water
Methanol Acetic Acid
or Oxime
Substrate

8. SILICONE FUNCTIONALITIES
8
Si O Si XSi O
C H
H
H C H
H
H C H
H
H
C HH
H
C HH
H
C HH
H
n
X
2 Methyl groups
=
Hydrophobicity
Strong Si-O bond
=
Thermal and UV resistance
Wide O-Si-O angle
=
vapor permeable
Low rotation energy
=
flexibility

9. • 1964: Two-sided SSG in
shear
• Oaklawn Jockey Club,
Alabama, USA
• Total Vision System
EVOLUTION OF SILICONE STRUCTURAL GLAZING (SSG): FIRST STEPS

10. • 1971: 1st four-sided SSG
• 455 W. Fort St. in Detroit, Michigan, USA
• One-part silicone
EVOLUTION OF SILICONE STRUCTURAL GLAZING (SSG): FIRST STEPS

11. European Parliament,
Belgium, 1994-1995
▪ DOWSIL™ 993, SSG
▪ Bis-annual evaluation
of performance of
representative small units exposed to similar
climatic conditions
EVOLUTION OF SILICONE STRUCTURAL GLAZING (SSG): PROVEN PERFORMANCE
IFT Rosenheim,
Germany, 1985
▪ DOWSIL™ 983,
4-sided IGU toggle
system without
deadload support
▪ Full evaluation
(ETAG002) after 25
years service life
▪ 50+

12. Optimal results at -50°C
Princess Elisabeth Station, Antarctic
PROVEN PERFORMANCE IN EXTREME CLIMATE
Optimal results at +50 ° C
Burj Khalifa, UAE
In both climates, high UV radiation
©2010EmaarPropertiesPJSC
▪ Gas-filled insulating glass under extreme temperatures

13. Architect:PalmerandTurner
Curtainwallcontractor:GartnerandBuildersFederalHK
35 years and +100 cyclones
2sided SSG , 40mm DOWSIL™ 795,
1600 x 1280 mm, 5.1 kPa
EVOLUTION OF SILICONE STRUCTURAL GLAZING (SSG): EXTREME LOADING
Exchange Square, Hong Kong, 1984
2 sided SSG 25mm
DOWSIL™ 983,
1500mm*3035mm, 3820Pa
Two Harbourfront, Hung Hom, 1993
Damage due to unlocked
openable windows, Debris
impact, Glass thickness but not
due to the SSG
Cyclone
resistance

14. EVOLUTION OF SILICONE STRUCTURAL GLAZING (SSG): EXTREME LOADING
14
Blast
resistance

15. EVOLUTION OF SILICONE STRUCTURAL GLAZING (SSG): EXTREME LOADING
•Besserud, K., Bergers, M., Black, A. J., Carbary,
L. D., Mazurek, A., Misson, D., and Rubis, K.,
“Durability of Cold-Bent Insulating-Glass Units,”
Journal of ASTM International, Vol. 9, No. 3, 2012,
pp. 1-26, https://doi.org/10.1520/JAI104120. ISSN
1546-962X
•2019 GPD: durability of SSG sealant in cold bent
glazing design
•2020: challenging glass conference
▪ Analytical equations
AllianztowerinMilan,
Italy,Isozaki+Maffei
USAInteractiveFrank
Gehry
▪ Knowledge sharing
▪ Experimental validation
▪ Modeling/ FEA
▪ Case studies
Cold-bent Glass

16. ENABLE TRANSPARENCY
PhotoScagliola/Brakkee/NeutelingsRiedijkArchitects
Museum aan de Stroom, Antwerpen, Belgium

17. ENABLE TRANSPARENCY: DOWSILTM CRYSTAL CLEAR SILICONES
Photo: PressGlass
Field of rods by Eric Owen Moss Architects, California

18. ENABLE TRANSPARENCY
Bonding on hot bent glass: Press Glass
Photo: PressGlass

19. DEFINE ENGINEERS / CARPENTER LOWINGS / seele / sedak/ DOWSIL TSSABonding on thin glass
ENABLE TRANSPARENCY
GRAVITY

20. 21August 2019
ENABLE TRANSPARENCY…
What’s next?

21. FUTURE TRANSPARENCY: DOWSIL™ CRYSTAL CLEAR SILICONE SPACER
© THERM-IS BIZZOTTO
Photo: PressGlass

22. ▪ A FULLY cured product, having the unique capability to be reactive towards a
primed surface
23
FUTURE TRANSPARENCY: DOWSIL™ CRYSTAL CLEAR SILICONE SPACER
<5min
Glass
Primer
Primer has to react with
substrate first
Glass
Crystal clear spacer
Spacer has to
react with primed
surface
Crystal clear spacer
Glass
• Durable chemical adhesion,
• Cannot be peeled off (cohesive failure)
• Adhesion on glass, stainless steel, mill
finish/anodized aluminum, PVC, PC, PMMA, PET,
polystyrene
Prime substrate
<5min
Assembly finished
Apply spacer

23. •Easy
mixing
and
dispensing
•Dam & fill
Silicone
mixing and
dispensing
•Long pot
life
•Low voids
•No heat
Vacuum
lamination
•Cure at RT
•Voids
disappear
on cure
Cure
24
FUTURE TRANSPARENCY: DOWSIL™ CRYSTAL CLEAR SILICONE FOR ENCAPSULATION
▪ 2-Component, self leveling, room temperature curing transparent silicone
▪ Develops room temperature adhesion on glass and metals without primer
▪ No bubble generation even in confined area
▪ Stable properties over wide Temperature range -40°C to 150°C
▪ Durable properties upon heat and UV exposure
▪ Compatible with DOWSIL™ silicones
▪ High Clarity
▪ Impact resistance: up to 3B3
Room temperature silicone lamination for decorative glazing

24. 25
FUTURE TRANSPARENCY: DOWSIL™ CRYSTAL CLEAR SILICONE FOR ENCAPSULATION

25. 26
FUTURE TRANSPARENCY: 3D PRINTING WITH CLEAR SILICONE
ConsumerGoods
Consumer&
Communication
3DP silicone products are used for applications requiring high precision such as seals or connectors
Transportation

26. ▪ 3DP silicones can be used in construction, at the Intersection of Design
and Performance where Every Node is Geometrically Unique
FUTURE TRANSPARENCY: 3D PRINTING WITH CLEAR SILICONE

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