Materials

Mechanical Seal Materials

At Vulcan Seals, we provide comprehensive material information to ensure you choose the right seals for your applications. Our resources empower you with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions.

Face Materials

The capability, performance, and life of a mechanical seal is significantly influenced by the grade, quality, and combination of face materials used from raw powder to complete specification and manufacture.

Carbon

‍Due to the potential health hazards posed by the impregnation leaching from the Carbon into the media, we would recommend against using VCA1 Carbon on process equipment involved in food, beverage or ingredient production, for humans or animals. If in doubt whether to specify VCA1 Carbon, please contact our Commercial Department for advice.

Due to the potential health hazards posed by the impregnation leaching from the Carbon into the media, we would recommend against using VCA1 Carbon on process equipment involved in food, beverage or ingredient production, for humans or animals. If in doubt whether to specify VCA1 Carbon, please contact our Commercial Department for advice.

Ceramics and Carbides

VAW1

A high purity 99.5% Alumina Ceramic suitable for all rotary or stationary applications where Ceramic is specified as standard.

There are two grades of Tungsten Carbide utilised for either rotary or stationary faces; this is to give a different surface finish and reduce the chances of vacuum face-locking when the two perfectly flat polished surfaces are pushed together when the equipment stops.

VTN1

Tungsten Carbide VTN1 is used for stationary faces.

VTN2

Tungsten Carbide VTN2 is used for rotary faces.

Metals

304 Stainless Steel is the industry standard grade of mechanical seals, suitable for the majority of applications. Vulcan Seals mechanical seals feature electropolished surfaces to external steel components. Compared to unpolished 304, this provides a fine surface finish that greatly reduces the opportunity for corrosion.

For highly corrosive fluids, strongly oxidizing fluids or medias with a very high Chloride anion concentration such as hypochlorite solutions, Vulcan Seals can offer Hastelloy® C276 for machined metal bodied seals. On many multi-spring seal designs, such as the Type 40, this alloy is specified as standard for internal multiple springs to ensure maximum media compatibility for these critical components.

Material	Shore Hardness	Temperature Range	pH	Typical Application
FFKM (e.g. Kalrez®)	75 Shore A	-50°C / +310°C -58°F / +590°F	0-14	For absolute chemical and temperature capability. Only available in O-ring form, and to special order.
FEP/PFA	80-95 Shore A	-60°C / +205/260°C -76°F / +401/500°F	0-14	For applications where near universal chemical resistance is required. Only available on specific seal designs.
TFEP AlfasTM	75 Shore A	-50°C / +250°C -23°F / +480°F	2-14	For high-temperature duties; duties involving alternating acid and alkaline environments.
VitonTM/FKM	70 Shore A	-30°C / +200°C -22°F / +392°F	0-8	For general acidic and organic chemical duties, including petrochemicals (other than amines, acetates and acrylates, see EP above).
HNBR	75 Shore A	-40°C / +150°C -40°F / +300°F	5-10	For general duties; especially synthetic hydraulic and lubricating oils; duties involving alternating acid and alkaline environments.
EPDM	70 Shore A	-40°C / +140°C -40°F / +284°F	6-14	For general warm to hot water duties; acetic, peroxyacetic and acrylic acid duties (including acetate and acrylate derivatives of these acids); alkaline chemical duties, especially hypochlorite, hydroxides, amines, and other derivatives of ammonia.
Chloroprene (NeopreneTM)	70 Shore A	-50°C / +100°C -58°F / +212°F	6-13	For refrigeration duties involving mineral oil lubricants, especially if ammonia is involved. For synthetic oils see HNBR.
Nitrile	70 Shore A	-30°C / +120°C -22°F / +248°F	5-8	For general duties; especially ambient temperature water duties, mineral oil-based applications.

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