In a variety of industrial and manufacturing sectors, the importance of seals is self-evident. They are not only related to the performance and safety of the equipment, but also affect the quality and efficiency of the product.
With the continuous advancement of science and technology, some rubber seals with high technology content have gradually emerged and become new stars in the seal industry.
Materials and formulations of rubber seals
Nitrile rubber (NBR)
Nitrile rubber is a very commonly used sealing material, which has excellent resistance to oil, fuel oil and aromatic solvents, and has low cost. The disadvantage is that it is not resistant to natural rubber and some petroleum-based lubricants.
Natural rubber (NR)
Compared with most synthetic rubbers, natural rubber has good comprehensive mechanical properties, cold resistance, high resilience and wear resistance. Natural rubber is not resistant to mineral oils, but is more stable in vegetable oils and alcohols.
Acrylic rubber (ACM)
The comprehensive combination of heat resistance and oil resistance of acrylic rubber is very good, and the use temperature can be as high as 180 °C-200 °C, which is widely used in products that require high temperature resistance and heat resistance oil.
Polyurethane rubber (PU)
Polyurethane rubber has excellent wear resistance, tear resistance and elasticity, and is often used in seals, shock absorbers, wear-resistant products, etc.
Silicone rubber (Silicone)
Silicone rubber has excellent high temperature resistance, low temperature resistance, radiation resistance, vacuum resistance and other characteristics, often used in high temperature seals, low temperature seals, vacuum seals, etc.
Fluoroelastomer (FKM)
Fluoroelastomer has excellent high temperature resistance, oil resistance, chemical corrosion resistance and other characteristics, and is often used in high temperature seals, oil seals, chemical seals, etc.
Manufacturing process and technology of rubber seals
High temperature seals
High-temperature seals are generally made of silicone rubber and fluoroelastomer with high heat resistance, and attention should be paid to adding heat-resistant additives during the manufacturing process to ensure good sealing performance at high temperatures.
Vacuum seals
Vacuum seal manufacturing requires highly sophisticated equipment and strict process control, such as the use of resilient, corrosion-resistant, easy-to-clean fluoroelastomer materials to ensure good sealing performance in a vacuum environment.
Chemical seals
Chemical seals require materials with excellent corrosion resistance, usually made of polyurethane rubber or fluoroelastomers. During the manufacturing process, attention should be paid to preventing the attack of chemical substances on the material to ensure the stability of the seal.
Selection and application of rubber seals
When selecting and using rubber seals, customers need to select according to the actual application scenarios. For example, for high-temperature environments, silicone rubber or fluoroelastomer seals with better high temperature resistance should be selected.
For vacuum environments, vacuum seals with high hermetically tight and vacuum performance should be selected; For chemically corrosive environments, polyurethane rubber or fluoroelastomer seals with strong corrosion resistance should be selected.
When installing and using rubber seals, it is also necessary to pay attention to the selection according to the actual installation size and operating environment to avoid too tight or too loose.
At the same time, it is necessary to keep the seal clean during the installation process to avoid the influence of impurities on the sealing performance.
Conclusion
High-tech rubber seals have high requirements in terms of material selection, manufacturing process and technology. This paper introduces the characteristics, application range, advantages and disadvantages of nitrile rubber, natural rubber, acrylic rubber, polyurethane rubber, silicone rubber and fluoroelastomer, and elaborates the basic principles, implementation methods and application advantages of manufacturing processes and technologies such as high temperature seals, vacuum seals and chemical seals. Finally, from the customer’s point of view, how to choose the right rubber seal and how to install and use the rubber seal correctly is introduced.
With the continuous advancement of science and technology, the development direction of rubber seals in the future will be more diversified and intelligent. In order to meet the ever-increasing performance and quality requirements, rubber seal manufacturers need to continuously strengthen technology research and development and innovation to promote industrial upgrading and transformation. At the same time, customers also need to pay attention to the correct selection and use of rubber seals during use to ensure the normal operation and safety of the equipment.
