All About PTFE Gasket Material


Teflon® gaskets, or more properly gaskets made from PTFE gasket materials, are an ideal choice for applications involving aggressive media. The non-reactive characteristics of PTFE gasket material ensures that gaskets produced from these materials are quite impervious to attack and degradation by hostile gases, vapours, and fluids.

PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that has numerous applications. Teflon® is the best known brand name of PTFE-based formulas. Teflon® is a trademark of E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Dupont), who discovered the compound.

PTFE gasket material combines excellent dielectric properties with a very low coefficient of friction and an ability to service a wide range of operating temperatures, from -400°F to 500°F. The real strength of PTFE gasket material is that is among the most chemically resistant materials known. This ability to resist chemical attack makes PTFE gasket material the compound of choice from which to manufacture gaskets for use in severe service applications.

Gaskets manufactured from PTFE gasket material consisting of 25 per cent glass-filled PTFE skived sheet will service about 85 per cent of all caustic chemical applications in many industries. The remaining 15 per cent of these applications can be serviced by PTFE gaskets produced from restructured or molded sheet – in fact, gaskets produced from this type of PTFE gasket material are likely better suited for Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP), PVC, and cold flow applications, if manufactured using the expanded version.

Canada Rubber Group Inc. (CRGI) precision fabricates gaskets and other rubber parts and components from PTFE sheet. We stock PTFE sheet in a variety of styles and thicknesses from leading manufacturers such as Teadit North America and Technetics Group. Styles of PTFE gasket material that we stock include the following:

  • Expanded PTFE sheet (QUIMFLEX SH). This PTFE gasket material is made from 100 per cent multi-directionally expanded PTFE and is dimensionally stable. It is fully conformable to a variety of flange shapes and offers superior performance over conventional PTFE. Expanded PTFE possesses excellent chemical resistance, is resistant to cold flow and creep, and is ideal for limited flange load applications. CRGI stocks QUIMFLEX SH sheet from Teadit. QUIMFLEX SH will seal all aggressive chemicals over the entire 0-14 pH range except for molten alkali metals and elemental fluorine. Made from 100 per cent virgin PTFE, it not only resists chemical attack, but it will not contaminate or discolor end products.

  • Molded PTFE sheet (TEALON™ TF1510, TF1570, TF1580, TF1590). TEALON™ is a premium-quality and cost-effective PTFE gasket material from Teadit.

    • TEALON™ TF1510 is suitable for service with a wide variety of aggressive fluids, including hydrocarbons, acids, solvents, water, steam, hydrogen-peroxide, refrigerants, etc. The high compressibility of this style makes it particularly suitable for use with stress sensitive and/or fragile flanged joints, e.g. glass, ceramics, plastic, etc. The gasket material was tested to be in conformance per FDA requirement Method 21 CFR177.2260 and is suitable for food-grade applications.

    • TEALON™ TF1570 is suitable for service with a wide variety of aggressive fluids, including hydrocarbons, acids, solvents, water, steam, hydrogen-peroxide, refrigerants, etc. The high compressibility of this style makes it particularly suitable for use with stress sensitive and/or fragile flanged joints, e.g. glass, ceramics, plastic, etc. The gasket material was tested to be in conformance per FDA requirement Method 21 CFR177.2260 and is suitable for food grade applications.

    • TEALON™ TF1580 is suitable for services with general service in wide variety of fluids, strong caustics, moderate acids, chlorine, gases, water, steam, hydrocarbons, hydrogen and aluminum fluoride. The gasket material was tested to be in conformance with FDA requirements per Method 21 CFR 177.2260. TF1580 is listed by Chlorine Institute Pamphlet 95.

    • TEALON™ TF1590 is suitable for services with high pressures and temperature, especially in chemical processing and hydrocarbon plants in strong acids (except hydrofluoric), solvents, hydrocarbons, water, steam, and chlorine. The gasket material was tested to be in conformance per FDA CFR177.2260. TF1590 is listed by Chlorine Institute Pamphlet 95.

  • Glass-filled PTFE sheet (Texolon® 9406). Texolon® 9406 is a 25 per cent glass-filled PTFE skived sheet manufactured by Technetics Group based in Houston, TX. Texolon® 9406 is an outstanding PTFE gasket material of choice for producing PTFE gaskets for aggressive media applications, especially where extra rigidity and wear are required. With physical properties comparable to those of premium glass-filled PTFE skived sheet, Texolon® 9406 is an excellent cost-effective alternative to more expensive glass-filled PTFE skived sheets

CRGI can supply PTFE gaskets manufactured from any of the above sheets. We can custom manufacture gaskets and parts from prototype and no order is too big or too small – we are equipped to handle mass production runs or small-lot orders equally well, and can provide rapid turnaround on urgent needs or emergency service.

To find out how we can service your PTFE gasket needs, contact our sales department today at crg@canadarubbergroup.com.