Selecting the right material for a gasket is never easy. Temperature and pressure must be considered, and so too must the nature of the fluid being sealed. Some combinations of fluid and gasket material are just incompatible. Choose wrongly and the gasket will fail prematurely. When purchasing gasket material, mention the intended purpose. That way a material specialist can tell you if there’s a better alternative. View our rubber sheet gasket material compatibility chart for chemicals.
Learning More About Material Compatibility
Some of the most frequently used gasket materials are neoprene, nitrile rubber, EPDM, silicone and Viton®. (Technically, this last one is a DuPont tradename for fluoroelastomer or FKM as it’s known in the ASTM standards.) Each has strengths and weaknesses in terms of chemical compatibility. “Rubber Gaskets & Seals” on our website provides a summary of what chemicals various gasket materials do and do not work with.
The other way to approach material selection is from the perspective of the chemical. Unfortunately that means identifying every possible chemical, which makes for a very long list. For some commonly used fluids the lists below highlight good and bad combinations. But don’t rely solely on these – always ask advice!
Good Material Compatibility Pairings for Chemicals
- Acetone (a form of ketone): EPDM
- Aldehydes (found in many food ingredients): SBR
- Ammonia: Good choices are neoprene and EDPM gasket material
- Animal fats: Nitrile, Viton®
- Automatic transmission fluid: Nitrile rubber (NBR) and Viton®
- Brake fluid: EPDM and styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR)
- Ethylene glycol (antifreeze): nitrile rubber, Viton®, EPDM and neoprene work well
- Fuels and oils: Nitrile rubber (NBR), Viton®
- Ozone: EPDM, silicone, Viton®
Bad Gasket Material Pairings for Chemicals
- Acetone (a form of ketone): Avoid contact with nitrile rubber, neoprene, silicone and Viton®
- Aldehydes (found in many food ingredients): Nitrile
- Ammonia: Poor with SBR and Viton®
- Animal fats: SBR
- Automatic transmission fluid: Avoid EPDM, SBR and Silicone
- Brake fluid: Viton®
- Fuels and oils: EPDM, SBR, Silicone
- Ozone: Nitrile and SBR
Seek Advice for Material Compatibility with Chemicals
These lists give only a superficial overview of a complex subject. The only sure way of selecting the correct gasket material for any given chemical is to seek guidance from a material specialist. At Hennig Gasket, if we don’t know we’ll find out. Contact us Today.
