Gaskets are components that can provide proper sealing of materials. They often fill the space between two objects to effectively prevent any instances of leakage while they are under compression. They can likewise fill in the spaces of objects to ensure that the gaps between them are closed entirely.
With gaskets, machines and other products are expected to operate smoothly, especially when they are typically exposed to volatile substances. But for the gaskets to be effective, a couple of things must be considered first. One of these things is the temperature of the surroundings. Another thing to consider is the compatibility of the chemicals that they will be exposed to. Ultimately, the overall requirements of the application, such as the number and size of bolts, must be accounted for when picking the right gaskets.
The different properties of gaskets typically stem from their overall material composition.
General Features of Asbestos Gaskets
One of the materials that are used in generating gaskets is asbestos. Asbestos is a natural mineral that is composed of soft and flexible fibres. Its primary composition allows the material to effectively withstand corrosion, electricity, heat. Asbestos can also be great in insulating heat and electricity.
All these features alone make asbestos a great material for gaskets. Combining asbestos with some fillers and rubber can then generate gaskets that are highly resistant to high temperature. With normal usage, asbestos gaskets can easily withstand the temperature of up to 1,000°C.
Aside from heat resistance, asbestos gaskets also feature excellent mechanical strength. These gaskets often have multivalent metal cations that can improve the bonding strength of their overall material composition. With improvements over their bonding strength, they can easily ensure that the connected surfaces or products will remain intact throughout their operations.
Non-Asbestos Gaskets as Alternative
Even with all the key properties of asbestos gaskets, they can easily be maximised by many industries due to their low costs. However, industries that once utilised these gaskets have switched to other types of gaskets. And one main reason behind this change is the effects of asbestos on humans.
Asbestos fibres, even at minuscule amounts, may be inhaled or ingested by humans. And unlike other elements, asbestos fibres are known to be permanently trapped in the body. Over time, these trapped elements can cause inflammation, scarring, and genetic damage to people. Asbestos exposure may even lead to lung diseases and mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive cancer.
Non-asbestos gaskets, fortunately, are now widespread all over the world. Even though the heat resistance and mechanical strength of asbestos gaskets are better than the non-asbestos ones, the latter are still preferred by many due to health safety reasons. Besides, the mineral fibres, organic fibres, fillers, and rubber that can be found on non-asbestos gaskets are already more than enough to fill the gaps and spaces and prevent elements from entering or leaking out of the parts and surfaces.
To obtain non-asbestos gaskets, you can reach us at Gasketech.
A wide variety of industries would maximise gaskets in sealing the gaps of two parts. After all, the gaskets are made from materials that can act as a barrier against fluids, contaminants, electrostatic discharge, and electromagnetic interference. Aside from keeping these elements at bay, gaskets can also assist in resisting extrusion and creep of objects whenever they are being utilised.
But for the gaskets to be effective in specific gasketing applications, they must be made from a specific material that would make them compatible with their surrounding conditions. Using gaskets that are not designed to operate in specific applications may only lead to operational failures and costly damages.
When choosing the right gasket material for your gasketing application, here are some factors that you need to consider carefully.
Chemicals
Gaskets are often used in sealing the components of boilers, fuel tanks, water pipes, and similar objects. And by utilising these objects, you may already expect the presence of chemicals, acids, and gases. For gasketing purposes, these elements must be checked first to know which material can withstand or resist their potentially damaging effects. Once you have identified the right material for your gaskets, you can expect them to carry out their sealing process without facing critical issues or problems along the way.
Temperature
Some industries that utilise gaskets include chemical processing, mining, military, oil and gas, and power generation. One thing that is common in these industries is that their processes often utilise varying temperatures. Some of them may operate at high temperatures, while others require processes to be done under low temperatures. The whole range of your operating temperatures must be identified first so that you can opt for a gasket material that is compatible with your application.
Pressure
Gaskets can now be generated from different materials. Some of the materials that can be used in producing gaskets include rubber, polyurethane, neoprene, silicone, aramid, carbon fibre, stainless steel, aluminium, graphite, cork, and polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE. These materials can handle different pressure changes during their use. If your application boasts frequent pressure changes in a short time, then you may want to go for a robust material that can handle these changes effectively.
Application
All crucial aspects of your application must be accounted for when looking for the best material for your gasket. You must know the number of bolts that you will be utilising. You may even want to identify their sizes and grades to ensure that the gaskets can handle them effectively and provide enough compression between the surfaces. Just remember to maintain the components that will be installed with your chosen gaskets so that their service life can improve significantly.
If you need some help in finding the best gasket material for your application, feel free to contact us at Gasketech. We are a renowned manufacturer and supplier of gaskets and sealing washers, extrusions, and mouldings that are compatible with all industries.