Platinum Cured Tubing, Silicon

Quick Answer: The Platinum Cured Tubing, Silicon is flexible silicone rubber tubing cross-linked with a platinum catalyst rather than a peroxide. Platinum cured silicone tubing is chosen for peristaltic pumps, culture media and sampling lines where a clean, smooth bore matters.

Platinum Cure Versus Peroxide Cure

Silicone rubber has to be cross-linked, or cured, to become an elastic solid. Peroxide curing is the older and simpler method, but it leaves decomposition by-products in the rubber that can migrate into liquids passing through. Platinum-catalysed addition curing forms the cross-links without those by-products, and generally gives a smoother inner surface, lower levels of extractable substances and good clarity.

That is why it is chosen where the liquid must not pick anything up: cell culture media, buffers, pharmaceutical process samples and food-related testing. In peristaltic pumps, silicone’s elasticity lets the tube recover after each roller pass, and platinum-cured grades tend to shed fewer particles from the bore as the rollers work it.

Silicone’s weaknesses still apply. It is permeable to gases, it swells in non-polar solvents, and it has modest tear and pressure resistance. Any pharmacopoeia or food-contact grading your process requires should be checked against documentation before ordering. For oily or fuel lines, nitrile tubing is more suitable, and for closures in the same material there is the silicone stopper.

Specifications

Applications

• Peristaltic pump lines for media, reagents and dosing
• Transfer of culture media and buffers in microbiology and cell culture labs
• Sampling lines in pharmacy and food-testing teaching labs
• Tubing on fermenters and bioreactor demonstrations in biotechnology courses

Care & Handling

• Autoclave with the ends loosely wrapped and the coil relaxed, not kinked, and let it cool before use.
• Use the wall thickness your peristaltic pump head is designed for, and move the section under the rollers from time to time to spread wear.
• Clean with warm water or mild detergent; keep solvents and oils away from it.
• Keep lengths in closed bags so the slightly tacky silicone surface does not collect dust.

Why Choose LabEquip

Platinum cured tubing is bought by pharmacy colleges, microbiology labs and research groups running peristaltic pumps or media transfer. LabEquip lists it under General Lab Products; send the bore, wall thickness and pump model through the contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does platinum cured mean?

It means the silicone was cross-linked using a platinum catalyst. Unlike peroxide curing, this process leaves no peroxide by-products in the rubber, which is why the tubing is favoured for sensitive liquids.

Why use silicone tubing in a peristaltic pump?

Silicone is soft and elastic, so it recovers its round shape quickly after each roller squeezes it, giving steady flow. It is also easy to sterilise and gentle on sensitive liquids.

Can platinum cured silicone tubing be autoclaved?

Silicone is generally autoclavable, and platinum-cured tubing is commonly sterilised this way. Check the item’s rating, keep the tubing loosely coiled in the autoclave and allow it to cool before connecting.

Is it suitable for organic solvents?

Not for most. Non-polar solvents such as hexane and toluene swell silicone, and many others extract or weaken it. Use PTFE or another solvent-rated tubing.

Why does silicone tubing let gas through?

Silicone’s flexible molecular structure makes it relatively permeable to gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. That suits some culture uses but not lines that must stay gas-tight or keep dissolved gases constant.

How do I choose the right size for a pump?

Peristaltic pump heads are designed for particular combinations of bore and wall thickness. Use the tubing size listed by the pump maker, since the wall thickness controls how well the rollers seal.

Last Updated: September 2026