Why Perfluoroelastomers Are Top-of-the-Line
If you’re a purchasing agent or engineer at your organization, you know that there are countless material compounds available in the market. From low-cost Buna-N nitrile rubber and mid-range EPDM to high-performance HNBR and aerospace/military specification fluorosilicone, the sheer number of options available can be overwhelming. However, when it comes to near-universal performance, there’s nothing quite like a perfluoroelastomer o-ring (FFKM).
Perfluoroelastomers are the elastomeric form of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) — itself a versatile and popular material for multiple applications ranging from electrical insulation, heavy equipment, industrial piping, medical, semiconductor, food manufacturing and packaging, and environments where heavy and harsh chemicals are used. Because perfluoroelastomers have a fluorinated backbone (and higher fluorine content over FKM), the material gains elasticity. They are the most chemically resistant elastomers available and can resist extremely high temperatures. Additionally, a perfluoroelastomer o-ring will have high resistance to steam, various solvents, ozone, and weathering.
Because of these advantages, perfluoroelastomer o-rings are the ideal choice for chemical processing applications, aerospace, oil and gas exploration, semiconductors, paint and ink production, water and irrigation, life science and medical, and food manufacturing and processing.
Ultimately, a perfluoroelastomer o-ring or seal’s performance will depend on the application itself, as the material can vary widely. It’s important to discuss your specific application with an application engineer, but we’ve identified a few particular compounds below to give you an idea of the options available.
High-Performing Perfluoroelastomer O-Ring Compounds
Markez®
If you’re purchased or worked with perfluoroelastomer o-rings before, you’re likely familiar with major brands such as DuPont Kalrez® and Greene Tweed Chemraz®. If so, you’re also probably familiar with their high costs. At Marco Rubber & Plastics, our independent industry position has enabled us to develop Markez — a more valuable alternative to these materials that maintains the same performance level in demanding applications. Here are a few popular Markez compounds and what you should know about them.
Markez Z1028 — Z1028 is one of our most popular compounds for perfluoroelastomer o-rings and seals due to its broad chemical and temperature resistance (rated up to 320ºC or 608ºF). It has nearly universal chemical compatibility, making it ideal for countless chemical applications while also providing a long service life in applications thanks to its low compression set.
Compare with Kalrez 6375 and Chemraz 505.
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Markez Z1352 — Another near-universal and chemically resistant perfluoroelastomer, Z1352 provides enhanced chemical resistance to strong acids and hot amines (rated up to 200ºC or 392ºF) as well as steam (rated up to 300ºC or 572ºF). Because of this, it has broad applications across the chemical, petrochemical, mechanical, aerospace, and semiconductor industries.
Compare with Kalrez 6380 and Chemraz 605.
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Markez Z1321 — This compound was designed for extreme low-temperature environments, such as valves and pumps stored at subzero temperatures (oil and gas, chemical industry, etc.). Its minimum operating temperature is -45ºC or -49ºF. In addition to its low-temperature resistance capabilities, Z1321 was specially formulated to provide high resistance to a broad range of chemicals. And with low permeability, it is less prone to swelling — leading to longer service life.
Compare with Kalrez 0040.
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Markez Z1400 — In environments with extremely high temperatures and even harsh solvents, performance counts. That’s why we developed Z1400 — one of the most thermally resilient perfluoroelastomer o-ring compounds available. Featuring a best-in-class high heat resistance of up to 335ºC or 635ºF, Z1400 also provides a low compression set and high chemical resistance. But best of all is that it retains these properties over time, providing you with long-lasting performance. Note that because of its properties, additional production time may be needed.
Compare with Kalrez 7075.
Work with the Sealing Experts for Your Specific Application
Perfluoroelastomer o-rings and seals offer the performance that many industries need but often don’t find in other standard sealing materials. If long-lasting performance is essential for your application — whether it includes high temperatures, harsh chemicals and solvents, high pressures, high-temperature steam, or even subzero temperatures — the experts at Marco Rubber & Plastics can help you find or formulate the ideal solution to seal your success.
Our Markez line of perfluoroelastomer o-rings and seals is available in a wide variety of compound options. It can be modified according to your specific application, ensuring that you have the seal you need while providing you with greater efficiency and value over other leading brands. And because we have millions of products in stock and ready to ship throughout our network, we can get you the right seal quickly thanks to our rapid fulfillment — in many instances, your order will ship same-day. And if a custom formulation is needed, our responsive team will get back to your request often in a matter of hours with pricing and next steps.
If you’re unsure what perfluoroelastomer o-ring or seal you need, don’t worry. Our material experts and engineers offer testing services to evaluate an application for the right solution. If your existing seal is underperforming and you’re experiencing downtime or customer complaints, we’re here to help. We offer testing services to evaluate existing seals and identify the reasons for failure as well as a replacement solution.
Seal Your Success with Perfluoroelastomer O-Ring Seals from Marco Rubber & Plastics
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