Rubber and Victrex® Peek(TM) Polymer-Based Composite Developed for Sealing Applications
WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA USA - Daetwyler and Victrex Polymer Solutions, the world leader in polyaryletherketones, have worked collaboratively to form a composite material that combines VICTREX® PEEK(TM) polymer and rubber. Their joint collaboration focused on combining NBR (acrylonitrile butadiene rubber) and FPM (fluoroelastomer) with VICTREX PEEK polymer-based APTIV® film, for the goal of developing a composite material suitable for seals providing low permeation.
Seals for use in harsh, demanding industrial environments, such as those encountered in the oil, gas or automotive industries, pose a formidable design challenge. The seal has to be precise with the right balance of rigidity and flexibility to produce a tight and durable connection with the substrate in order to avoid leaks, which can lead to maintenance downtime or even costly system failure. Dependent on temperature and media resistance an appropriate elastomer material is required. FPM is used for applications at high temperature or to provide resistance against chemicals or gasoline and EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber which is resistant to polar media commonly used for sealing in brake fluids. While these materials can offer excellent resistance to heat and chemical corrosion, they are usually too soft and flexible for use as seals in more extreme operating conditions. Seals used in industrial settings require additional rigidity and even higher levels of resistance to creep and deformation to provide durable, tight seal solutions with minimal permeation.
VICTREX PEEK polymer offers higher mechanical and thermal performance levels, compared to other thermoplastics, and excellent chemical resistance, including hydrolysis resistance. In addition, VICTREX PEEK polymer exhibits compressive creep resistance at elevated temperatures, resulting in high reliability and is FDA certified for food safety making is suitable for use in industrial food processing applications.
Daetwyler and Victrex have successfully combined the relatively hard VICTREX PEEK polymer in a film format with selected elastomers for the formation of durable, tight seals using a single composite, thus simplifying the assembly and mount processes. The resulting composite meets the requirements for rugged industrial seals by demonstrating low creep under high mechanical loads, little expansion in the presence of fluids and steam, extremely high chemical resistance, and very low permeation.
Victrex and Daetwyler are interested in discussing uses for the new polymer-rubber composite with potential customers to establish how it can best be applied to address their specific requirements for high performance seals in a diverse range of demanding applications.
Victrex Polymer Solutions has over 30 years of experience of working closely with customers in the specialized application of VICTREX PEEK polymer. The collaboration with Daetwyler is further confirmation of the company's innovative leadership within the global applied thermoplastics industry.
For more information, please visit www.victrex.com.
About Daetwyler (Sealing Technologies)
Delivering high quality, high-tech products, the Daetwyler Sealing Technologies division provides innovative, custom designed sealing and insulation solutions. As a global development partner, Daetwyler is a recognized component maker for automotive suppliers, construction companies and other industries. The Swiss Daetwyler Group generates with its four divisions approximately Eur 1,000 million in revenue, with some 5,000 employees worldwide. For more information please visit www.daetwyler-rubber.com
