Industrial applications involving adverse temperatures, and where an inert and robust sealing material is required, are ideal applications for the use of silicone gaskets.
Silicone rubber sheet material handles temperature extremes very well. It is a preferred material from which to fashion gaskets for servicing applications involving either high heat or cold temperatures. Silicone gaskets are thermally stable over a temperature range of -60°C to 230°C.
Silicone gaskets resist attack from ozone, oxygen, and ultraviolet (UV) light. This makes these gaskets an ideal choice in applications where degradation or weathering resulting from exposure to these elements is a concern.
Another major property of silicone sheet is that the material is inert, odorless and tasteless. Gaskets that we manufacture from our silicone sheet are FDA compliant for use with food and drink contact, making them the preferred choice for food grade and healthcare applications. FDA compliant silicone rubber products will meet both national and international legislation requirements that are designed to prevent the unwanted chemical contamination of food products.
A disadvantage of silicone sheet is that the material has poor resistance to oils, fuels, and hydrocarbons. Thus, silicone gaskets should not be chosen where the material will come into contact with these media. Similarly, the material exhibits only fair performance when exposed to acids, alkalis and solvents.
At Canada Rubber Group Inc. (CRGI), we manufacture silicone gaskets in a variety of sizes. These gaskets are custom fabricated to each customer’s requirements and specifications, and precision-cut from premium quality silicone materials. Varieties of silicone gaskets that we offer include the following:
Die Cut, Flash Cut and Water Jet Cut Silicone Gaskets
Die-cut, flash cut, and water jet cut silicone gaskets from silicone stock sheet, including kSil™ commercial grade and FDA (food-grade) silicone solid sheeting; fluorosilicone sheeting; silicone fabric sheeting; and silicone sponge sheeting. Depending upon the material choice, we are able to fabricate silicone gaskets in thicknesses from .010” to 1”, and in durometers (hardness) from 30 to 80 Shore A. We can also fabricate silicone gaskets with or without pressure sensitive adhesive backings as required.
FDA (Food Grade) Gaskets
Food grade gaskets cut from kSil™ silicone sheet. kSil™ silicone sheet is FDA approved and food processors and manufacturers can be confident that gaskets fabricated from kSil™ are completely safe when in contact with food. In addition to kSil™ sheet, we also fabricate silicone gaskets from neutraSil™ sheet. NeutraSil™ is an antimicrobial silicone rubber that has been independently proven to prevent the growth of E-Coli, MRSA and Salmonella bacteria.
NeutraSil™ is suitable for use in a range of applications and environments. The antimicrobial qualities of neutraSil™ make it highly suited to applications in industries such as healthcare, dairy, food, beverage and pharmaceuticals.
Fluorosilicone Gaskets
Fluorosilicone gaskets can withstand more extreme temperatures that gaskets fabricated from standard-grade silicone. In addition, fluorosilicone gaskets possess superior chemical resistance to fuels, coolants and oils.
Silicone Sponge Gaskets
Silicone sponge possesses a high tensile strength and tear resistance that makes it more durable than silicone foam. Silicone sponge gaskets work especially well in applications where the gasket material must be flexible, compressible, thermally stable, and resistant to ozone and ultraviolet (UV) light.
For more information on our high-performance silicone gaskets we can produce, please contact our sales department at crg@canadarubbergroup.com.