Natural vs. Synthetic Rubber: Choosing the Best Gasket Material for Your Application
27 May 2022Industrial machines and tools should be assembled properly to ensure that they remain functional throughout their service life. Proper assembly of these things, after all, can prevent leakage.
Leakage can be a huge issue among industrial machines and tools since they are generally made from material-sensitive components. Once moisture, air, and other elements infiltrate their internal components, they may easily get damaged. Materials that come out of the machines and tools canlikewise cause damage to nearby components.
One way to prevent leakage from happening is by installing gaskets. Gaskets are mechanical seals that can fill the space between two or more objects. Tons of materials can be used in making them. Many industries, however, often opt for either natural or synthetic rubber.
Natural Rubber Gasket
Natural rubber, as its name implies, is typically extracted from nature. Produced primarily by tapping trees, natural rubber can be mostly found in tropical climates.
What is great about natural rubber gaskets is they have high tensile strength. They likewise have high tear resistance, fatigue resistance, and low odour. The fatigue resistance of these gaskets prevents them from getting damaged due to chipping, cutting, or tearing. Another great thing about natural rubber gaskets is they can adhere to other materials optimally.
As for their downsides, natural rubber gaskets cannot completely resist the effects of heat, light, and ozone exposure. They likewise have natural proteins that can trigger allergic reactions in some people, especially if they are exposed to these things for a long time.
Synthetic Rubber Gasket
Synthetic rubber, on the other hand, is produced from polymers. These materials can imitate the qualities of natural rubber. They may even sometimes provide more enhancements to synthetic rubber.
Synthetic rubber gaskets have been preferred by many industries as they can provide better abrasion resistance. They can also withstand chemicals, fluids, electrical heat, and ozone. Synthetic rubber gaskets can even withstand the effects of aging and fire, resist grease and oil, and remain flexible at low temperatures. These qualities make them very useful in extreme temperature and corrosive applications.
Although synthetic rubber gaskets already boast properties that natural rubber lacks, they still have some drawbacks that industries often consider. Synthetic rubber gaskets have poor tensile strength and tear strength. They also have poor mechanical properties.
Picking the Best Rubber
When picking the best rubber material for your gaskets, you must primarily consider their intended use. You must also know the condition of the environment where the gaskets will be installed or placed. Budget can also be a factor in picking the material for your gaskets.
If you need help in picking the best rubber gaskets for your application, you can contact us at Gasketech. We have a dependable expert who is ready to discuss sealing and leakage problems with you. We can also readily service and supply quality gaskets that you may need for your local machinery.
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