News
A2026-05-25
In the food processing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical industries, sealing materials are far more than simple anti-leakage components. They play a critical role in hygiene safety, equipment reliability, and product quality. Because these industries frequently involve high-temperature sterilization, CIP/SIP cleaning systems, chemical disinfectants, and ultra-clean environments, sealing materials must offer excellent resistance to temperature extremes, chemicals, steam, and aging while maintaining low extractables and high biocompatibility.
Compared with conventional industrial sealing materials, food and medical grade seals are generally required to comply with standards such as FDA, USP Class VI, 3-A Sanitary Standards, and EU 1935/2004.
Silicone is one of the most widely used sealing materials in food and medical applications due to its non-toxic nature, excellent flexibility, and strong physiological inertness. It is commonly used in medical tubing, food equipment, and respiratory devices.
Typical operating temperature range:
Typical pressure capability:
Silicone offers good resistance to:
However, it is generally not suitable for:
Typical applications include:
EPDM is extensively used in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries, especially in hot water and steam environments.
Typical operating temperature range:
Typical pressure capability:
EPDM provides excellent resistance to:
However, EPDM is not recommended for contact with:
Typical applications include:
FKM is widely used in applications requiring strong chemical resistance and high-temperature stability.
Typical operating temperature range:
Pressure resistance:
FKM offers excellent resistance to:
It also provides low compression set and excellent long-term sealing stability.
However, FKM is less suitable for prolonged exposure to:
Typical applications include:
PTFE is widely recognized for its nearly universal chemical resistance and exceptional cleanliness, making it ideal for highly corrosive and hygienic environments.
Typical operating temperature range:
Typical pressure capability:
PTFE is highly resistant to:
Additional advantages include:
However, PTFE has relatively poor elasticity and is prone to cold flow, so it is often combined with spring-energized sealing structures.
Typical applications include:
FFKM is considered one of the highest-performance sealing materials available for pharmaceutical, semiconductor, and high-purity industries. It combines the elasticity of rubber with PTFE-like chemical resistance.
Typical operating temperature range:
Typical pressure capability:
FFKM demonstrates outstanding resistance to:
It also offers extremely low extractables and very long service life.
Its main disadvantages are:
Typical applications include:
High-temperature steam accelerates rubber aging and increases compression set.
Recommended materials for steam environments:
Standard FKM and NBR are generally not recommended for long-term steam exposure.
CIP systems commonly use nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and sodium hydroxide solutions.
Among common sealing materials:
Standard silicone may swell or degrade in concentrated alkaline solutions.
Ethanol, isopropanol, and hydrogen peroxide are commonly used in sanitation and sterilization processes.
The following materials generally perform well:
Some EPDM compounds may exhibit slight swelling after prolonged alcohol exposure.
For standard food processing equipment, EPDM and food-grade silicone are often the most economical and practical solutions due to their good steam resistance and hygienic properties.
In pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and ultra-clean applications, PTFE and FFKM are preferred because of their superior chemical resistance and sterilization performance.
Medical devices commonly utilize medical-grade silicone and PTFE because of their excellent biocompatibility and safety characteristics.
In the food and medical industries, sealing materials are not merely components for preventing leakage; they are critical elements that directly affect hygiene, operational reliability, and equipment lifespan.
When selecting sealing materials, engineers should carefully evaluate:
Only by properly matching the sealing material to the application conditions can long-term, safe, and reliable sealing performance be achieved.
[DLSEALS kindly Reminder] Sealing issues? Turn to DLSEALS! As a sealing component manufacturer, we specialize in customizing sealing components, providing a full range of services from design, research and development, production, testing, and more. If you have more information you'd like to know, feel free to contact us directly. DLSEALS's product experts are dedicated to serving you!
GUANGDONG DLSEALS TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD.
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