What Are Gaskets Made of?
A gasket is used to fill a space between two flat surfaced components or flanges to prevent leakages. However, the specialist property of a gasket depends on the material it is made from, so gaskets made from specific materials are required for specific uses.
Gaskets are generally manufactured from rubber or elastomeric materials such as rubber, nitrile, EPDM, neoprene, VITON™ and SBR. Materials such as cork and graphite are used when highly compressible gaskets are required. Here are a few examples of different gasket materials and their properties:
FKM
A highly-resilient material, FKM is often made into gaskets designed for dealing with aggressive fuels and chemicals. It is capable of withstanding temperatures ranging from -10oc through to + 250oc. It can also resistant acidic biodiesel and strong organic solvents.
EPDM
An EPDM gasket fills a space between two sections to prevent leaks and usually takes the form of a shaped sheet O-ring. An EPDM gasket is very versatile and can be used for a number of purposes including sealing, supporting mounts, anti-vibration and noise reduction.
Rubber
A rubber gasket can seal two surfaces together and prevent both liquids and gases from leaking. The malleable properties of the material allow it to ‘fill in’ irregularities by expanding when connecting the two surfaces together.
Neoprene
Neoprene is the DuPont trade name for chloroprene and is a form of synthetic rubber. Neoprene is chemically stable and is generally resistant to oils and petroleum-based fuels. A durable material, it can withstand temperatures from up to 120°C, and down to -40°C.
Silicone
Silicone is a resilient and inert material that can withstand high temperatures and does not react with many substances. Silicone gaskets repel water well and form a tight seal.
