PTFE Joint Sealant :
When complex industrial purposes and applications demand versatile solutions, innovative ideas come into picture. The PTFE Joint Sealant is one such idea devised to help engineering professionals and industries to seal large and complex flanges with ease. They can also be used to secure damaged flanges so that no leakage occurs.
PTFE Joint sealant is actually Expanded PTFE (EPTFE). Normal PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), is a registered trademark of the DuPont company for its brand of polytetrafluoroethylene Teflon. PTFE is a resin and considered a plastic, and is hard like a plastic unless it has been expanded. Once expanded it has the density of a dense marshmallow. Extrude the EPTFE into an oval shape which is flat on two sides, and apply a pressure sensitive adhesive (think bumper sticker), and you have an exceptional sealing material because it is soft and conformable. You have EPTFE Joint sealant.
The concept of using sealants is to ensure that when different mechanisms meet in one place or complex parts are connected with flat flanges, they will create a leak free area. The fluid which is intended to flow through the connections should not leak into the assembly or completely out of the assembly which will disrupt the whole machinery process. It can lead to unwanted damage and loss which is reduced by using strong, reliable sealants. The accessory is made using soft and compressible gasket material which are designed to exert stress on the confined area so as to be durable on the long run.
Sealant Mechanism
Using a flexible rubber or gasket soft material between two hard materials has been proven to be highly reliable. The limitations of many elastomers stop at 250 degrees F. Chemically, rubber elastomers have limitations generally close to 7 on the PH scale. Various grades of FKM for example will handle a much wider range of chemicals, but will not reach the 0-14 ph scale of EPTFE (except molten alkali metals and elemental fluorine). EPTFE is highly recommended in applications up to 500F with excursions up to 600 F, far exceeding the limitations of rubber.
The PTFE Joint Sealant is one such accessory designed for the purpose made using thin, hard ribbon which creates an extremely tight sealing system. The guidelines for using the product, its maximum temperature withstanding capacity and flexibility will be defined in the design manual. Industries and professionals can choose from a variety of products available in the market or custom order them according to specific needs.
Some of the features that make a good PTFE joint sealant include its ability to be resistive against hard, abrasive chemical fluids, form in place with the ability to fit into rough, cavity or damaged surfaces, flexible design as well as shape and easy to install system. The modern day sealants are being made with an adhesive back which makes it easy to simply peel the strip on the back and stick it. This makes it much easier to use the accessory in both horizontal as well as vertical surfaces without any installation issues. The sealant helps increase work place safety ensuring safe environment for hundreds of workers, increases overall mechanism life and reduces fugitive emissions. Pliable ribbon is a custom material used to make these sealants which are self-adhesive as stated earlier and is resistant to creep as well as cold flow.
Industrial Applications
Designed to provide exceptional chemical resistance, the industrial accessory not only withstands acid fluids and water but also has the capacity to stop leakage in air transfers. The PTFE joint sealant design is a continuous tape which helps seal flanges and offers solutions to a wide variety of practical applications. Areas include but not limited to pump housing flanges, glass/ fiber and steel pipe flanges, concrete lids, ceramic & glass joints, water supply systems and many more. The maximum pressure, temperature and resistive capacity are detailed on this brochure.
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