Evaluation of the influence of crosslink density and penetrant size on the diffusion properties of silicone oils into silicone elastomers

Driven by the continuing discussion on safety and quality of silicone breast implants, they have turned into focus of this study with respect to the diffusivity of low molar mass components from the silicone gel filling into the silicone breast implant shell. Therefore, the diffusivity of silicone oils into silicone elastomers were analysed by means of the crosslink density and the penetrant size. The study was focused on the diffusion of the cyclic siloxanes Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4), Decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5) and Dodecamethyl-cyclohexasiloxane (D6) due to their potential occurrence in silicone breast implants. The analysis of the diffusion behavior was carried out with silicone breast implant shells taken from explants and tailor-made silicone elastomer samples varying in crosslink density. Therefore, sorption experiments were performed. The subsequent evaluation of the sorption data yield to the corresponding diffusion properties. Based on the diffusion coefficient related to the crosslink density a model was developed to describe the material behavior.