Road & Rail Chemical Transportation FAQs

At TRP Polymer Solutions, we manufacture custom-designed rubber seals, O-rings and gaskets for the road and rail chemical transportation industries. Below, we answer some of your frequently asked questions about why TRP Polymer Solutions should be your chosen supplier of chemically resistant rubber sealing products.

What is the best rubber material for road chemical transportation?

Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) and composite PTFE components are among the most chemically resistant materials we use to manufacture high performance sealing products that meet the exact requirements of road and rail chemical transportation applications. Both of these materials comprise carbon-fluorine bonds – the strongest single bond in organic chemistry – which guarantees sealing products that deliver high chemical, thermal and oxidation resistance.

What is FFKM rubber?

FFKM contains 72.5% fluorine with a fully fluorinated backbone chain and it is this maximal fluorine content that gives it its innate chemical resistance. At TRP Polymer Solutions, we’ve developed our own unique TRPlast™ FFKM, which is available in a selection of grades to match your exact requirements. TRPlast™ is chemically resistant, extremely temperature resistant and oil resistant, making it the ideal rubber for road and rail chemical transportation – particularly when used for discharge valves, couplings and pump seals.

What are common PTFE rubber properties?

One of the standout features of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is its high chemical resistance. PTFE consists of a chain of carbon atoms with two fluorine atoms bonded to each carbon. The fluorine atoms surround the carbon chain, creating a dense molecule with very strong carbon-fluorine bonds and a polymer structure that is resistant to most chemicals. As a result, we can develop PTFE seals capable of withstanding aggressive media and cleaning processes without breaking down.

What rubber is used for rail chemical transportation?

Rubber seals and O-rings destined for rail chemical transportation need to be highly resistant to the aggressive chemicals they come into contact with to ensure repeatability and a reliably long life cycle. The aforementioned chemical structure of PTFE and FFKM make them excellent base polymers for us to materials that have enhanced characteristics, including higher chemical and temperature resistance. As such, we can then use these optimised materials to manufacture your custom rubber O-ring, seal or gasket product.

Why choose TRP Polymer Solutions?

At TRP Polymer Solutions, we have spent the last 35 years honing our skills and expertise to formulate innovative solutions that fulfil all your application requirements. We take the time to understand your specific needs and then work closely with you to develop a bespoke conceptual design. We design and formulate innovative new polymer blends to achieve your performance goals, using component design CAD, polymer FEA, feasibility DFMEA and Process Failure Mode Effects Analysis (PFMEA). Furthermore, we undertake rigorous testing and prototyping to ensure the integrity and reliability of your custom rubber sealing product, before bringing it to production.

For more information about all of TRP Polymer Solutions’ products and services, or to speak to one of our technical team, call us today on +44 (0)1432 268899 or email sales@trp.co.uk.