Silicones for LEDs and electronics in clothing LEDs, sensors and flexible electronics are increasingly being built into clothing, from light-up stage costumes and fashion to safety and sportswear. Silicones protect these electronics against moisture, sweat and washing, absorb impacts and bending and let the light through. For this application you...
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Silicones for LEDs and electronics in clothing
LEDs, sensors and flexible electronics are increasingly being built into clothing, from light-up stage costumes and fashion to safety and sportswear. Silicones protect these electronics against moisture, sweat and washing, absorb impacts and bending and let the light through.
For this application you do not use textile silicones but encapsulation silicones: clear, free-flowing casting silicones and gels developed specifically for electronics.
Applications: LED strips and individual LEDs in costumes and fashion, lighting on safety and sportswear, sensors in wearables, light art on textiles.
Who it is for: costume and fashion designers, developers of wearables and smart textiles, light artists and makers.
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There are temporarily no products on this page. The encapsulation silicones below are in our range, so click through to the product. Not sure which one you need? Please get in touch with us.
Three ways to protect electronics in clothing
1. Encapsulate the module, then attach it
You pot the LED or small circuit board in a small mould or cap with clear silicone. The encapsulated module is then sewn, glued or clipped onto the fabric. This gives the most controlled shape and is easy to replace.
2. Cast directly onto the textile
You place a small dam or mould on the fabric and pour the silicone over the electronics. Liquid silicone penetrates slightly into the weave and anchors itself mechanically. This gives a seamless result, but test beforehand that the fabric does not soak up too much silicone.
3. Sealing and bonding
Seal wires, connectors and seams with a one-component silicone from the cartridge. Choose a neutral-curing type for this: acetic-curing silicones can corrode bare copper contacts.
Suitable encapsulation silicones
| Brand | Product | Properties | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wacker | ELASTOSIL RT 601 A/B | Crystal clear, Shore A 45, low viscosity (3,500 mPa·s), mix ratio 9:1, working time approx. 90 minutes. For clear, firm encapsulation of LED modules | In our range |
| Wacker | ELASTOSIL RT 625 A/B | Translucent, Shore A 25, 12,000 mPa·s, mix ratio 9:1, working time 60 minutes. Softer and more flexible, better resistance to bending | In our range |
| Wacker | SilGel 612 A/B | Crystal clear, very soft gel, 1:1, 1,000 mPa·s, pot life approx. 150 minutes, cure 8 hours at 23 °C or 15 minutes at 100 °C. For fully embedded electronics in a housing or skin | In our range |
| CHT | ALPA-GEL 97166 | Transparent platinum gel for encapsulating electronics and LEDs, dampens vibrations and shocks | In our range |
| Silicones and More | Siliconen Additie Gel 840 Helder | Clear gel, 1:1, working time 80 minutes. Test points remain accessible and the gel closes up again afterwards | In our range |
| Wacker | ELASTOSIL N2010 | Neutral-curing RTV-1 (alkoxy), bonds to plastic, metal and glass without primer, elastic from -50 to +180 °C. For sealing and bonding around contacts | In our range |
| Wacker | ELASTOSIL E41 Transparent | Self-levelling, transparent RTV-1 that also bonds to cured silicone and silicone-coated textiles. For bonding encapsulated modules | In our range |
How to choose the right silicone
- ✓Firm or flexible: harder silicones such as RT 601 offer better protection against impacts, softer ones such as RT 625 follow the movement of the fabric. A gel is the softest, but needs a housing or a skin of firmer silicone.
- ✓Clarity: for maximum light transmission, choose a crystal clear silicone and degas the mixture under vacuum. Gels can yellow slightly with prolonged exposure to higher temperatures.
- ✓Curing: addition-cure silicones cure without by-products and without shrinkage. However, they are sensitive to inhibition by, among other things, solder flux residues, sulphur, tin compounds and some cable insulation. So test a small piece first.
- ✓Heat: LEDs get warm. Silicones cope with this well, but make sure the LED is not completely enclosed in a thick layer if it gives off a lot of heat.
Tips for a durable result
- →Clean and dry the electronics beforehand and remove flux residues.
- →Provide strain relief where wires exit the silicone, as that is where it usually breaks.
- →Keep the battery and connector removable so the garment can be washed.
- →For adhesion to plastic housings, use a primer if necessary and test it beforehand.
- →Test the complete garment for bending, stretching and washing before going into production.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wash clothing with encapsulated LEDs?
A well-encapsulated LED is water-resistant, but batteries and connectors usually are not. Make them removable, wash at a low temperature and test the complete construction.
Does silicone adhere to textiles?
Not chemically, but mechanically. Liquid silicones penetrate slightly into the weave and anchor themselves. For bonding to silicone-coated textiles or to cured silicone, ELASTOSIL E41 is suitable.
Which silicone stays the clearest?
ELASTOSIL RT 601 and SilGel 612 are crystal clear. Degas the mixture before pouring to avoid bubbles that scatter the light.
Can I use ordinary mould-making silicone?
For encapsulation, silicones developed for electronics are the better choice. They are tested for insulation and flow behaviour around components. Mould-making silicones have not been assessed for this.
Related categories
Advice on LEDs in clothing?
Send us a photo or sketch of your design and tell us which electronics you want to protect. Email info@siliconesandmore.com or call +31 (0)85 485 83 11 (Monday to Thursday 08:30 to 17:00, Friday 08:30 to 15:00 CET).
Product information is based on the manufacturers' technical data sheets. Values are typical values and not a specification. Always consult the current TDS and test on your own electronics, textiles and process.