Performance Oriented Plastic And Rubber Solutions

Gasket seals are mechanical seals that fill the space between two mating surfaces, generally to prevent leakage from or into the joined objects while under compression. Gaskets are commonly produced by cutting from sheet materials, such as gasket paper, rubber, silicone, metal, cork, felt, neoprene, nitrile rubber, fiberglass or a plastic polymer. The material to be used depends on the substance to be sealed, the pressures and temperatures involved, and the materials and mating surfaces to be sealed.

Gasket seals have both high and low temperature sealing ability. High temperature resistant head gaskets seal and contain the pressures of combustion within the engine. Gaskets seals are widely used in the automotive industry. Exhaust gaskets provide superior performance in harsh conditions. They are used in exhaust systems for gasoline, diesel and gas turbine engines which are subjected to temperature extremes, corrosion, vibration and thermal shock. Gaskets are also used in high temperature sealing for furnaces, ovens and boilers. They also seal oil passages.

Rubber o-rings are designed to be seated in a groove and compressed during assembly between two or more parts, creating a seal at the interface. Rubber O-rings are made of synthetic rubbers or elastomers. Today different synthetic materials have been developed to withstand greater temperature and pressure ranges, to resist harsh chemicals and to stand up under tough conditions such as abrasion and exposure to ozone and sunlight. Some of the elastomers offered today are Kalrez, Simriz, Viton, Chemraz, Neoprene and Nitrile. They are used in both static and dynamic applications where there is relative motion between the parts and the O-ring. Rubber O-rings are used in a multitude of industries, including the chemical and pharmaceutical, construction, mechanical, automotive, electronics and electrical equipment, supply and disposal, power transmission, military, food processing equipment, water purification systems and medical equipment industries.

Specialty seals are custom designed seals to fulfill a certain function. The design of specialty seals involves consultation on the behalf of the designer with customers on the selection of the proper seal for their particular application. Specialty seals are used as environmental seals, electrical enclosure seals, flame retardant and low toxicity seals, and process sealing. They also find extensive use in paper and pulp processing, mining, steel mills and power generation, aerospace, aviation, defense, industrial, medical and nuclear applications.

Seal systems are a high-performance alternative to mechanical seals and compression packings. Depending on the application, there are various kinds of seal systems. Diaphragm seals, lip and profile seals and molded part seals are some seal types. Mechanical seal systems are used in any industry or manufacturing operation that has a need to pump material from one place to another. The seal’s purpose is to minimize leakage of fluids and gases. Some of the prominent industries where mechanical seal systems are used include chemical processing, pharmaceutical, refineries, food processing, pulp and paper manufacturing and steel manufacturing. For more information, visit www.real-seal.com.

Premiere Urethane Components Applications

Becoming the industry standard for physical toughness, polyurethane sees active service in applications requiring resistance to abrasion, tar, and high tensile strength. Urethane possess a unique molecular structure of tight bonds between soft polyol segments and hard isocyanate segments, creating a strong but flexible elastomeric backbone in gasket seals and other seal systems. Polyurethanes are also unique in that they have a number of serviceable forms, from low strength liquids to highly cross-linked thermoplastics.

Real Seal commonly handles the two most often used in the sealing industry; Thermosetting and Thermoplastic. The chemical type of the polyol backbone used when compounding polyurethane material is one of the two major contributors to a specialty seals physical properties and relative chemical resistances, for instance. These are three types normally utilized:

Polyester Based: The most commonly used in silicone seals and other seal systems, providing excellent mechanical properties with resistance to hydrocarbon oils and hydraulic oils. Most urethane seals are based on polyesters.

Polyether Based: Compounded for better hydrolytic stability and good low temperature properties while maintaining the other excellent properties that urethane possesses.

Polycaprilactone Based: A subgroup of polyesters, polycaprilactones impart some of the hydrolysis resistance and low temp properties of the polyethers to the outstanding oil resistance and mechanical properties of polyesters.

The other major contributor to the physical properties of urethane is the curative used. Millable gum urethanes may employ standard peroxide and sulphur cure systems similar to other elastomers, but thermoplastic and higher performance thermosetting materials employ isocyanate cure systems. These may be of several basic types:

MDI – Methylene bis-(4-phenylisoyanate) is commonly known as MDI and is the second most common curative. Most often used in the thermoplastic materials.

TDI – 2,4-tolyene diisocyanate is known as TDI. Used in specialty millable gums and some casting systems as well as in most foam urethane materials; the most commonly used urethane curative in the world.

TODI – 3,3’-Dimethyldiphenyl-4,4’ diisocyanate is known as TODI. Imparts excellent heat resistance properties along with superior mechanical properties. For additional information, visit www.real-seal.com/ to learn more.