Conductive silicone is an excellent material choice for EMI shielding. Conductive silicone is filled with metal or metal-coated parts that provide exceptional environmental sealing and EMI shielding. When creating a silicone gasket for your parts, there are many metals to select from. One popular choice is nickel-graphite silicones. They are a cost-effective option and offer resistance against EMI and outstanding electrical conductivity.
The top three reasons to choose conductive silicone, particularly one filled with nickel-graphite, for EMI shielding are as follows:
- Shielding Performance – It’s essential to ensure that your EMI gaskets meet shielding requirements. This factor is more important than anything else. While silver has the highest electrical conductivity, that is not always needed. Nickel-graphite gaskets have a high shielding effectiveness. They are also easy to manufacture, support environmental sealing, and are resistant to corrosion.
- Material Properties – The properties of nickel-graphite cannot be beaten. They offer elongation, tear resistance, and good tensile strength. They have a lower durometer than other materials. Durometer measures the hardness or softness of a material. Since nickel-graphite is a softer material, sealing pressures are unlikely to cause permanent deformation.
- Cost – Silver-aluminum was the filler material of choice when designing EMI shielding gaskets. However, this is no longer the case as the price of silver can fluctuate significantly since it’s a precious metal. Nickel-graphite silicones provide more price stability than other metals, such as silver and silver-filled elastomers. They are also a cheaper option than elastomers filled with glass particles or silver-coated copper.