Silicone O Rings – The Silent Workhorse of Industrial Machinery
Silicone O Rings – The Silent Workhorse of Industrial Machinery
Silicone o rings are a silent, steadfast workhorse of industrial equipment. Their versatility is unmatched.
These o rings offer resistance to high temperatures in static environments and exhibit excellent flex and fatigue life. Silicone (VMQ) o rings also have good chemical resistance to oxygen, ozone, UV radiation, mineral and vegetable oils and diluted salt solutions.
Heat Resistance
In industrial machinery, the humble o-ring is an unsung workhorse that keeps things running smoothly. A simple loop of elastomer with a Silicone o rings circular cross-section, it’s designed to be seated in a groove and compressed during assembly to form a seal.
O-rings must be able to withstand a wide range of temperatures to perform their duty. High temperatures can cause o-rings to harden, lose their elasticity and even crack and leak. To combat this, most o-rings are designed with maximum temperature recommendations that apply to the media they’re used in.
Silicone o rings have one of the widest working temperature ranges of any o-ring material, making them ideal for use in applications with wide temperature fluctuations. They can operate effectively in hot and cold conditions and are also non-toxic and resistant to oils, ozone and solvents. They can also resist electricity, making them a good choice for electrical equipment.
Chemical Resistance
Silicone o rings are non-toxic, hypoallergenic, and non-reactive to bodily fluids, which makes them ideal for medical and pharmaceutical equipment. They’re also easy to clean and disinfect, preventing contamination and reducing the risk of disease. Additionally, silicone o-rings are durable enough to stand up to the rigorous sterilization practices used in hospitals and laboratories.
Silicone’s chemical resistance also makes it an excellent choice for food processing applications. It can resist harsh temperatures, pressure differentials, and chemicals, including acids, alkali, and oil. Furthermore, silicone is FDA-approved and metal detectable, making it a reliable seal for food and beverage processing equipment.
Viton is another excellent o-ring material for food processing equipment. Its strong carbon-fluorine bonds make it highly resistant to oxidation, heat, and chemicals. Additionally, it has excellent oil, ozone, and weathering resistance.
Temperature Stability
Silicone o rings are very cold flexible and can be used in temperatures as low as -60°F. Their flexibility allows them to seat better with poppets and external bodies than harder materials such as FKM or Viton. This flexibility allows silicone o-rings to withstand vibration and shock, making them a popular choice for many automotive and medical applications. They are also odorless and nontoxic, making them an excellent option for food or medical applications.
FKM (fluoropolymer elastomer) o-rings can handle high temperatures, but lack the chemical resistance of silicone and don’t maintain their flexibility in very low temperatures like silicon. VMQ silicone o-rings, on the other hand, can resist a variety of chemicals including ozone, oxygen and UV radiation and are odorless and nontoxic. They are good in dry heat, but not recommended for dynamic seals due to poor tensile strength and tear/abrasion resistance.
Biocompatibility
The o-ring is an indispensable part of most industrial equipment. It is a simple loop of elastomer with a round cross-section that is seated in an o-ring groove and compressed during assembly to form a seal. O-rings are available in a wide variety of materials, each with different properties to suit specific applications.
Silicone o rings are particularly useful because they are hypoallergenic and resistant to a wide range of chemicals. This makes them a good choice for medical devices, such as complex medical implant systems, where there is a risk of contact with harsh chemicals. Silicone is also inert, meaning it doesn’t react with most other substances.
The cleanliness of silicone o-rings is another benefit, as they can be sterilized without the need for a solvent. They are also extremely flexible and durable, with high flex fatigue life, ozone resistance and UV radiation resistance. They can also be compounded to be electrically resistant and conductive. Fluorosilicone o-rings are an excellent option as they combine the good high and low temperature properties of silicone with limited fuel and oil resistance.
Aesthetics
Although the term O-ring is often associated with silicone, the rings themselves are made from a variety of materials. These include Aflas, polyurethane and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene). Silicone o rings Aflas is the best choice for high temperatures, ozone and corona resistance. It also offers good dielectric stability and resistance to oils and chemicals. It does, however, lack the flexibility of silicone and has a low tensile strength.
Silicone is the preferred material in food and beverage applications because it is tasteless, odorless and peroxide-free. This property is especially important for seals that come into direct contact with consumable liquids, as it ensures that the O-ring doesn’t leach or alter flavors or chemical properties.
Other materials that can be used in O-rings include Buna-N (nitrile), fluorosilicone rubber and Viton. These are all highly durable materials with excellent stability, ozone and UV resistance and low abrasion and wear. They also tolerate a wide range of temperatures and harsh chemical environments. These materials are often utilized in automotive systems, aerospace equipment and chemical processing systems. However, they tend to have a lower tolerance for movement and are therefore unsuitable as dynamic seals.