Top 4 Sealing Materials that are Ideal for Oil Applications

For oil applications, good sealing is vital to prevent unwanted water, dirt, debris, or dust from the external environment and products that are contaminated. Material selection is key when it comes to finding the ideal seal for oil and gas applications.

Each elastomer has unique properties and benefits that must align with the requirements for oil applications. They can range from pressure ranges, temperature, and chemical compatibility.

Listed below are some rubber materials that Harkesh Rubber recommends for oil applications.

1) Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR)

NBR is one of the most widely used and economical elastomers. It is quite often used for a wide range of oil applications. It is also popular in marine, automotive, military, aircraft fuel applications. Following are the most notable benefits and properties for NBR for oil applications:

Benefits:

• Weather-resistant and low aging
• Oil resistant
• Hydraulic fluid resistant
• Water-resistant
• Silicone grease resistant
• High mechanical strength
• Abrasion-resistant
• Mean compression set

Properties:

• Hardness: 30-90 Shore A
• Temperature resistance: -30° C to +100° C (+120° C)

2) Fluorocarbon (Viton®)

Viton® is widely used in gaskets, lip seals, molded sealing devices, and o-rings for oil applications. High fluorine grades of Viton® offer good resistance to oxygenated fuel blends and swell in a high octane, making it the perfect sealing material for methanol/ethanol-blended gasoline.

Benefits:

• Chemical and heat resistant
• Ozone, oxygen, and weather-resistant
• Low compression set
• Good tear strength
• Flame retardant
• Low gas permeability
• Cold flexibility

Properties:

• Hardness: 50-90 Shore A
• Temperature resistance: -20° C to +200° C (+250° C)

3) Silicone

Silicone is widely known for its low compression set and flexibility, making it ideal for molded seals and o-rings that are used for oil applications. They are also used in the medical industry, automotive systems like oil filter valves, and the food industry.

Benefits:

• Cold flexibility
• Oil and solvent resistant
• Heat and Hot air resistant
• Great gas permeability
• Ozone and weather resistant
• Chemical resistant
• Excellent elasticity

Properties:

• Hardness: 30-80 Shore A
• Temperature resistance: -60° C to +200° C

4) Fluorosilicone (FVMQ)

Fluorosilicone has silicone’s temperature stability combined with resistance oils, solvents, and fuels. FVMQ is often used in aviation fuel seals, automotive fuel seals, static sealing applications rubber diaphragms, o-rings, seals, gaskets, and hose lining. However, it is also finding use in oil applications.

Benefits:

• Chemical resistant
• Compression set resistant
• Extreme temperature performance
• High thermal resistance

Properties:

• Hardness: 45-80 Shore A
• Temperature resistance: -60° C to +200° C

We hope you have gained valuable insights from this article. If you are looking to incorporate supreme quality seals for oil applications, you can connect with our team at Harkesh Rubber for material options with specific temperature ranges.