Dow Corning 3-4207 Tough Gel A/B Kit

Dielectric Gels are a special class of encapsulants that cure to an extremely soft material. Gels cure in place to form cushioning, self-healing, resilient materials. Cured gels retain much of the stress relief and self-healing qualities of a liquid while providing the dimensional stability of an elastomer. Gels

have been used to isolate circuits from the harmful effects of moisture and other contaminants and provide electrical insulation for high voltages. Another use is providing stress relief to protect circuits and interconnections from thermal and mechanical stresses. Gels are usually applied in thick layers to totally encapsulate higher architectures. More recently, gels have found application in optoelectronics due to their stress-relieving capability and high refractive index, as well as the stability of these properties over time. For more information on gels for optoelectronic applications, please refer to the LED Materials family datasheet.

A key characteristic of most gels is a naturally tacky surface after cure. This natural adhesion allows gels to gain physical adhesion to most common surfaces without the need for primers. This tacky nature also results in the unique ability to re-heal if the cured gel has been torn or cut, thereby permitting the use of test probes directly through the gel for circuit testing.

Dow Corning® brand dielectric gels are supplied as solventless, typically low-viscosity liquids. Most are designed as two-part products with 1:1 mix ratios (parts A and B). Others are formulated as one-part products, eliminating the need for mixing. The two-part products generally allow for either room-temperature or heat-accelerated cure. One-part products require heat cure. A few specialized one-part gels allow for very rapid UV cure.

If you are interested in formulated materials or custom materials, click here to go to our formulated materials page, and/or contact us directly to discuss your project requirements.