Reading Time: 3 minutes. Room temperature vulcanizing sealant or RTV is an artificial elastomer that creates seals or gaskets between two components. RTV silicone forms a tough and flexible rubber once it comes out of the container.

The key difference between RTV and silicone is that RTV is a general term for room temperature vulcanizing silicone, whereas silicone is a polymer material having repeating units of siloxane. When considering the chemical structure, RTV silicone has crosslinks while normal silicone may or may not have cross-links.

It's most commonly used as a building sealer, especially in bathrooms and kitchens, where most caulking contains RTV silicone. Natural rubbers are sticky and can easily be deformed in warm conditions. The process of vulcanization makes the rubber material more stable as it cures.