cured in high-temperature vulcanizing (HTV) systems of methyl or vinyl groups using

peroxides. Room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) systems are cured by condensing

silanols with a moisture-sensitive silane cross-linking agent, or are condensed with a

metal salt catalyst. Vinyl addition systems using platinum catalysts were initially used in

low-temperature vulcanizing (LTV) systems, but has been extended to RTVs and

HTVs.[1061 The silicone used in this study is Dow-Corning's Silastic T-2, a filled RTV

elastomer with vinyl terminated end caps that is addition polymerized with a platinum

catalyst.

Use as a Biomaterial

 Silicone elastomers are valuable polymers in the biomedical field. The use of

silicone materials in vivo has become a heavily debated topic in the past decade, with the

proliferation of procedures and studies on devices such as breast implants. These

devices, made of a PDMS gel, allowed for the leaching or 'gel bleed' of low molecular

weight oils from the device into the surrounding environment and then through the body.

The silicone biomaterials were widely criticized for causing a large range of

complications and diseases, and as a result, were removed from the market as a medical

device. A recent risk assessment on the effects of silicone gel-filled breast implants

concluded that the adverse effect of exposure to these prostheses was minimal, and

current stringent regulation should be discontinued.[1071

 One of the main problems with silicone implants, as with all implant materials, is

the formation of fibrous capsules.[69] The capsules can cause discomfort as well as

contraction on the device that can ultimately lead to failure.

 Silicone's permeability to oxygen allows for their use in contact lenses and

membrane oxygenators, and their flexibility and stability have seen uses in a wide variety