Factors to Consider When Choosing the Right Gasket Material for Gasketing Applications

08 July 2021

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.

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