Kalrez®️ Chemical Resistance in High Temperatures: The Gold Standard

Compression set, chemical degradation, chemically induced swelling, and heat embrittlement are common causes of o-ring seal failure. Choosing the correct material is crucial to maintaining seal integrity.

For the best chemical resistance in high temperatures, the gold standard is DuPont™ Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) parts. FFKM parts deliver outstanding thermal stability and excellent chemical resistance due to the strength of the carbon-fluorine bond in the perfluorinated chain.

Kalrez® Chemical Resistance

Kalrez® FFKM parts resist more than 1,800 industrial and electronic grade chemicals, solvents and plasmas while providing high temperature stability (327°C). Whether you need resistance to acids, bases, plasmas or amines, you can improve seal performance with a Kalrez® product compound best suited to your application.

Kalrez® seals also resist extreme volume swell when exposed to a wide variety of chemicals and solvents. These include steam, concentrated nitric acid, sodium hydroxide and ethylene diamine. Chemically induced swelling can cause O-rings made from other materials to extrude out of the seal grooves—a leading cause of premature seal failure.

See this chart on DuPont™’s website for a comparison of Kalrez® Chemical Resistance Properties with other common materials.

Heat Resistance & Low Compression Set

Kalrez® FFKM parts deliver outstanding high temperature stability. Even after long-term exposure to temperatures up to 327°C, they retain elasticity and recovery properties better than other high temperature elastomers. They resist the embrittlement and hardening that are the primary heat-related causes of seal failure. Kalrez® parts also have low compression set, maintaining their shape better under prolonged stress than other perfluoroelastomers.

For a comparison of Long Term Compression Set among different seal materials, see this chart on the DuPont™ website.

Kalrez® Compounds

Kalrez® parts are available in a variety of compounds depending on the chemical and thermal resistance required. Expert use of proprietary polymers, cure systems, fillers and additives result in an excellent balance of finished properties. From the general purpose Kalrez® 6375, which delivers outstanding performance in the widest range of chemicals and temperatures, to specialty compounds for the Semiconductor, Oil & Gas, Chemical Processing and Pharmaceutical industries, there’s a Kalrez® FFKM product that will improve seal performance in your operating environment.

Choosing a Seal Material for High Heat and Chemical Resistance

DuPont™ offers two comprehensive tools to help you choose the best elastomer for your application: the Chemical Resistance Guide (CAG) and Kalrez® Application Guide (KAG). They may be used online or offline with registration. You can get started here.

Choosing the best seal material involves a combination of factors—not just resistance to a certain chemical or temperature range, but also how the material behaves in those environments. Will the material not only hold up under the conditions, but also retain the strength and flexibility you need?

A dedicated seal expert can help you select the product that will optimize performance. For personal assistance in selection, contact our Kalrez® expert now.

C&B Equipment Is a Licensed Kalrez® Distributor

C&B Equipment is proud to be a Licensed Distributor of Kalrez parts®. The superior performance of these seals helps you increase your uptime—the mission that guides everything we do. Contact us today for your standard or custom Kalrez® parts.