As a leading O ring UK manufacturer and supplier of high quality seals and gaskets, offering a wide range of types, sizes, and sealing solutions that suit various applications across all industries, we work hard to ensure you get the best sealing solution for your application.
We want to make sure that all of our clients get a high-quality, compliant product that is durable, effective, and practical when it comes to cost and maintenance levels.
One of the most cost-effective and most popular o rings offering a whole host of benefits is that of silicone rubber o rings.
Known for their flexibility and low compression characteristics, silicone o rings are often the seal of choice for applications within the medical, aerospace, automotive, and electronics industries.
In this post, we take a look at some of the main benefits and what this particular type of o-ring can bring to your application.
Silicone o rings UK
Silicone o rings are one of the most widely used types of sealing element due to their effective sealing capabilities and suitability to numerous industries; they’re also simple to use and offer good value for money.
Due to its flexible nature, silicone sealing is also considered the industry standard and the `go-to` o ring choice for many manufacturers.
Silicone compound materials, such as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, along with a silicone base polymer, are used to produce a range of general-purpose o rings, all providing good to average levels of strength (you will find various grades of o rings available; the grade you choose will be dependant on your exact requirements). Depending on requirements and specifications, these types of o-rings can also be formulated to include inert fillers.
With excellent weathering capabilities, resistance to ozone, acid, and heat, as well as being non-reactive, stable, and cost-effective to manufacture, silicone is a durable choice.
Benefits of silicone o rings
Wide temperature range
Silicone rubber o rings are an incredibly practical solution when applications are operating with various low and high-temperature ranges. Able to withstand and maintain their shape and performance, silicone o rings are an excellent choice for 99.9% of environments in which they are placed.
They can maintain their high performance in temperatures ranging from -75 degrees Celsius up to 230 degrees Celsius, with some newer polymers able to still operate in temperatures up to 315 degrees Celsius.
Excellent flexibility
Due to the elasticity of this type of o ring, even in the lowest of temperature ranges, silicone o rings keep their flexibility, providing you with peace of mind that they will always perform at their best.
Silicone o rings also maintain their flexibility and composure when exposed to certain chemicals, i.e., alkali and acid elements.
Long-lasting
When silicone o rings are stored correctly (in clean and dry spaces away from direct sunlight and UV rays), they can last boundless years. This is important to bear in mind as the silicone counterpart Nitrile o rings may only have a lifespan of 15 years.
Reducing ongoing maintenance requirements and the need for replacement.
Low compression set
Silicone o rings can still perform at high pressures and temperatures due to the makeup of their material.
Available in a choice of colour
This may not be a big selling point; however, for some applications, having this choice is required, especially for consumer-facing applications.
Available from o ring suppliers in red, green, blue, and clear, no matter the colour you choose, the strength of the material is not compromised; you can simply choose the one that is best suited to your application.
Note:
For all we have mentioned, the advantages of using silicone o rings, this material choice does come with some weaknesses, which you should be aware of.
For example, this type of o ring has poor tensile strength and low shear strength. It isn’t resistant to abrasion, and also has low impermeability.
This makes silicone o rings unsuitable for applications that involve steam or oil.
O Ring Supplier UK
Silicone o rings can provide you with a tremendous general-purpose sealing option, with this type of o ring particularly suited to internal sealing applications.
At SSP, we’re always on hand to help you with the most suitable o-ring type for your application, and as well as a range of grades of silicone o-rings, we also stock PTFE, Nitrile, and Fluorocarbon as viable alternatives.
All of our seals and gaskets are compliant with relevant industry standards and guidelines. If you’re looking for a general-purpose sealant for your application, contact us today at 01535 274 776 or email the requirements of your application to sales@specialistsealingproducts.co.uk, and we’ll make sure to come back to you with the best solutions.
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