Viton gasketsare among some of the most popular sealing materials because of how resilient and hardy this material is. Viton is actually a brand name for a particular type of synthetic rubber. DuPont owns the name, and there are four main families of Viton. The four families are:
- A – Often used in the automotive and aerospace industries, especially for sealing lubricants and fuels; it is also considered to be used for general purpose sealing
- B – Often found in chemical processing plants and power utility gaskets and seals.
- F – Used when dealing with oxygenated automotive fuels, water, steam, and aqueous inorganic acid.
- Specialty (like GFLT, GBLT, GLT, or Viton Extreme) – these may be found in extremely harsh environments, in special situations where a strong seal is necessary, or the oil exploration or automotive industries.
The reason Viton gaskets are so popular is because they are made with a skin that is continuous on both sides. That skin actually makes the gasket, or as it is known in this case, the sponge, more resistant to tears. One of the greatest things about Viton gaskets is the fact that even when there is a puncture in the skin, they still do not allow fluid or air to pass through the cells that form the main part of the gasket.
In most cases, gaskets that are made of Viton are able to resist aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, as well as ozone, weathering, fuels, oils, or lubricants. They can even stand up to hot water and acids. Usually gaskets that are made of Viton will work very well between negative 10 degrees Fahrenheit and 400 degrees Fahrenheit, although it is not a good idea to use them in cases where you will have very high temperatures while the gasket is compressed. This reduces the resilience of Viton.
Most people see products made of Viton almost every day. Usually gaskets made from this material follow a color coding guideline. O-rings that are made of this material are typically black, while those made of newer materials are often black FKM or green FKM. A marking on the side of the gasket or seal typically tells you the code so that you know the type of material it is made from.
One of the most common uses for Viton gaskets is in SCUBA diving. This is because the risk of Viton catching fire is very low compared with the risk associated with many other materials. In addition, this type of material does not decay as quickly as a lot of other similar materials do. Another very common place to find items made of Viton is in the automotive industry where a lot of biodiesel is used.
Viton gaskets are typically sold in sheets of varying thicknesses. The gaskets can then be cut to the size you need. It is important to always check with an expert before you purchase any gaskets. There are always new materials being discovered and new products being manufactured, so it is certainly worth your time to see if anything new has come along since you bought that gasket the last time. Experts who work in the industry are always on top of the latest technology and offerings, so they will have a better idea of what the best type of gasket is for your project.
Let the experts at Blaylock Gasket help you find the right Viton gaskets for your project; they can help you determine if this is the right material for you or if there is something newer and better on the market for whatever you are working on.
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