Major industries need and employ gaskets. This is true whether it is the aerospace, appliance, automotive, electronic or military sectors. Gaskets provide a very specific and significant role inexpensively. A gasket acts as a sealer. It provides the necessary means to seal the joining or meeting point between two workpieces. Materials for producing these items include rubber, silicone, urethane and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). For a gasket that is weatherproof and provides protection from the elements, a popular choice among many companies is a neoprene gasket.
What Is Neoprene?
Neoprene is a synthetic black rubber manufactured to meet the demands of various strenuous environmental conditions. Known as an “all-purpose” rubber, it is the result of one of the many forms of polymerization. This one involves the free-radical polymerization of chloroprene. The resulting neoprene possesses many qualities beneficial to industrial applications, including the production of gaskets.
The resulting gaskets come in a variety of grades for use. These include, commercial, medium and high grade neoprene. Also available are FDA and PSA ready neoprene. The type of gasket chosen will depend upon the intended application and the environment or setting in which the gasket will function.
What Are the Properties of Neoprene?
The material possesses several physical and chemical properties that make it an excellent choice for both ordinary and extreme environmental settings. The qualities of this synthetic rubber include:
* Decent resilience and durability
* Good abrasion resistance and tear strength
* Resistance to damage from both the ozone and UV rays
* Tolerance for a wide range of temperatures ranging from-40°F up to 250°F
* Low flammability
* Good chemical stability
* Waterproof
* Corrosion resistant
* Chemical resistance particularly against petroleum-based solvents such as:
* Ammonia
* Aqua Regia
* Banana oil (Amyl Acetate)
* Benzene
* Bleach Solutions
* Bunker Oil
* Chlorofluorocarbon
* Chloroform
* Coke oven gas
* Fish Oil
* Halowax oil
* Lacquers
* Petroleum-based oils and solvents
These provide neoprene gaskets with the capability to both strengthen and seal diverse components in their industrial usage.
The Neoprene Gasket: Durable, Reliable and Affordable
Neoprene gaskets help increase the longevity of even extreme applications more than those comprised of plastics and other types of rubber do. Characterized as being reliable, durable and stable, a neoprene gasket is suitable for protecting the very parts it seals. Its affordability is another aspect that will continue to make this type of gasket popular in diverse industrial applications.
