Which is the Best Material for Your Oil Seal?

An oil seal is basically a simple device, which is used to stop dirt, dust, water, and other contaminants from entering the shaft equipment. It is also known by other names like elastomeric lip seal, lip seal, shaft seal, or rotary shaft seal. The seal, while doing its job, helps retain the lubrication of a rotary shaft equipment. These seals are mainly used to protect the bearings used in a rotating shaft.

For more information, please visit NNK.

Materials Used to Make Oil Seals:

Oil seals can be made from a vast range of materials depending upon the application. Some common materials used to manufacture oil seals include:

1. Silicone: The widest range of operating temperature range is provided by silicone compounds. They offer an amazing temperature range from -90°F to 340°F. Nonetheless, in dry running conditions, these compounds do not perform well. It is always advisable to avoid the usage of silicone compounds with oxidized oils and EP (Extreme Pressure) compounds.
   
   
2. Viton®: Viton® compounds are said to offer the widest operating temperature range varying from 40°F to 400°F. These are considered as the premium materials for the lip seals. In addition to this, these compounds are highly resistant to chemicals and abrasion. These qualities help Viton® deliver better good performance. Unlike silicone compounds, Viton® performs well in dry running applications.
3. Nitrile Buna-N: Most companies consider Nitrile Buna-N 70 durometer compound to be the perfect material for oil seals. The compound has several benefits, which makes it the first choice of material in a wide range of applications. Oils seals that are made from this material have a wide operating temperature range from -65°F to 250°F. In addition to this, this material is compatible to work with water, as well as common mineral oil and greases.
   
   

Above mentioned are some materials used for manufacturing oil seals. Each material has its own set of pros and cons. Therefore, selection of materials should be made on the basis of the application. There are quite a variety of materials to choose from. If you find it tricky to select the right material for oil seals, you can always ask an expert. SSP Manufacturing, Inc. is one such expert in manufacturing oil seals in the USA. Please contact us by : +1-888-238- or with any questions.

Related Post

• 3 Reasons for Oil Seal Failure and Their Solutions Discussed

• Basic Things you Should Know About Oil Seals – Part 2

• Basic Things you Should Know About Oil Seals – Part 1

• Presenting SSP Seals New Online Avatar!

• The 5 Common Synesthetic Sealing Element (Lip) Materials for Automotive Oil Seals

• Basic Requirements and Tips for Choosing and Using Oil Seals

• Different Types of Automotive Oil Lip Seals

In oil and gas applications, sealing devices are critical to prevent unwanted dirt, water, dust or other debris from contaminating products. When it comes to finding the right seal for these applications, material selection is key. Every rubber material has unique benefits that must align with the requirements in oil applications, such as chemical compatibility, temperature and pressure ranges.

Apple Rubber recommends the following rubber materials for oil applications. For more information about each material, visit our Material Selection Guide. 

Want more information on Oil Seal Material? Feel free to contact us.

Nitrile (Buna-N)

Nitrile is the sealing industries most economical and widely used material. It’s most commonly used in a wide range of oil applications, as well as automotive, marine, aircraft fuel and military applications. The most notable benefits of Nitrile for oil seals include: 

• Resistance to petroleum-based oil and fuel, silicone greases, hydraulic fluid and water
• Low compression set
• High tensile strength
• Excellent abrasion resistance
• Standard temperatures range from -40°F to 257°F

Fluorocarbon (Viton®)

Viton® is a synthetic rubber typically used in o-rings, gaskets, lip seals and other molded sealing devices for oil applications. High fluorine grades of Viton® offer excellent resistance to swell in high octane and oxygenated fuel blends, making it the ideal sealing material for ethanol/methanol blended gasoline. Other important benefits of Viton® include: 

• Standard temperatures range from -13°F to 446°F
• High temperature resistance
• Chemical resistance to transmission fluid, gasoline and petroleum oils

Silicone

Silicone offers one of the widest working temperature ranges of all elastomers. Silicone is most known for its flexibility and low compression set characteristics, making it an optimal choice for o-rings and other molded seals. The most important benefits of silicone in oil applications include: 

• Standard temperatures range from -85°F to 400°F
• Phenyl (PVMQ) based silicones can perform to -148°F
• Resistant to ozone, sun and weather conditions
• Flexibility allows Silicone to be a great option for electrical insulation

Fluorosilicone

Fluorosilicone combines the temperature stability of silicone with resistance to fuels, oils and solvents. Fluorosilicone is most often used in aerospace fuel applications and automotive fuel emission control, however it is becoming increasingly popular in a wider range of oil applications. Some of the unique characteristics of fluorosilicone include: 

• Standard temperatures range from 75°F to 400°F.
• Excellent high temperature resistance
• Offers good compression set properties
• Withstands exposure to sun, air and ozone
• Resistant to chlorinated and aromatic hydrocarbons

Want to talk more about sealing materials for oil applications?

Contact an engineer today. 

For more rubber oil sealinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.