Chemical Resistance – How it makes or breaks a seal

Solutions expertly manufactures high-performance rubber sealing components that are derived from chemical industry polymers to provide effective chemical resistance. In this blog, we discuss the importance of chemical resistant seals and help you choose the best seal for your application.

Chemical resistant seals

TRP Polymer Solutions manufactures seals specifically for the chemical industry, which provide absolute peace of mind when handling extreme and unstable chemicals. Our chemical resistant seals are developed using high-performance polymer materials, including PTFE and our very own TRPlast™ Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM). Both of which boast near universal chemical resistance.

TFE chemical resistant seals

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a durable and flexible elastomer famed for its remarkable chemical resistance. There are no solvents that can dissolve PTFE at room temperature, save for a handful of chemical agents (chlorine trifluoride and elementary fluorine being two). Although, it must be noted that PTFE molecules are prone to break down when exposed to high energy radiation. Something to bear in mind when specifying your seal material.

FFKM chemical resistant seal

Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) also offers exceptional chemical resistance. It combines the sealing force, resistance and recovery characteristics of a regular elastomer with the chemical resistance of PTFE. It actually offers the broadest chemical resistance of any elastomeric sealing material and is suitable for even the most demanding environments. TRP Polymer Solutions has developed our own range of TRPlast™ FFKM for unrivalled performance.

Chemical resistant seals from TRP Polymer Solutions

When choosing a chemical resistant seal for your application, you should first consider which chemicals will be in use. You can then cross-reference the type of polymer materials that will offer the most appropriate chemical resistance for those chemicals. Chemical resistant seals from TRP Polymer Solutions offer exceptional performance across a wide range of chemicals, even in the most volatile chemical processing environments.

Our seals are designed to reduce maintenance costs and equipment downtime, guaranteeing the uptime and longevity of your machinery. We produce composite PTFE and FFKM seal components for pumps, valves, couplings, seals and gaskets. When only the best will do, our unique range of TRPlast™ FFKM materials offer universal chemical resistance for every conceivable type of chemical processing environment.

Contact TRP Polymer Solutions today

TRP Polymer Solutions delivers proven excellence in polymer material development, particularly for use in aggressive chemical environments. We’re passionate about delivering the highest standards of customer service. Which is why we offer rapid delivery and, where lead times are critical, work closely with you and your business to ensure you receive your chemical resistant seals within your specified deadlines.

Our flexible production process means we can offer short lead times for both custom products and high performance seals. We aim for lead times of 2-3 working days where existing tools are involved and up to 7 days wherever new tooling is required. Our technical team will keep you fully informed of timescales at every stage of the production process. We support all volumes of orders, from high volume orders to single ‘O’ rings.

For specific advice regarding the best chemical resistant seal for your application, particularly if more than one chemical or fluid is involved, we recommend seeking professional advice. Contact TRP Polymer Solutions today and one of our technical experts will be only too happy to discuss your application requirements and suggest an optimal sealing solution for you. Call us on +44 (0)1432 268899 or email sales@trp.co.uk.