Professional O-Ring and Oil Seal Manufacturer, Sealing Solution Supplier Since 2008.
What factors will accelerate the wear of rubber seals?
A variety of factors will accelerate the wear of rubber seals, the following is a detailed summary of these factors:
First, material factors
Chemical incompatibility:
When rubber seals come into contact with specific oils, solvents or chemicals, they may swell and dissolve, resulting in changes in size or reduced strength.
Chemical incompatibilities can also cause the rubber to harden (loss of elasticity) or soften (loss of structural strength).
Material aging:
In long-term use, the performance of rubber materials declines due to aging, which is manifested as weakening elasticity, increasing hardness, and cracking of the surface.
The aging process includes thermal aging (high temperature promotes the thermal oxidative degradation of rubber molecular chains), oxidative aging (oxygen reacts with the double bond of rubber molecules to decompose the material), ozone aging (ozone causes cracks on the rubber surface) and ultraviolet aging (ultraviolet causes rubber surface degradation).
- Design factors
Improper design:
Excessive compression may result in permanent distortion or tearing of the seal.
Insufficient compression will not form an effective seal.
Design edges or uneven surfaces can cause stress concentration and increase the risk of wear.
Size and tolerance matching problem:
Improper tolerance of sealing ring and fitting parts will affect the fitting effect.
Too small section size can not withstand high pressure, too large will increase the difficulty of assembly and friction loss.
Third, processing factors
Process problems:
The performance of rubber sealing ring depends on the material formula, and improper formula design leads to substandard performance.
Insufficient vulcanization leads to insufficient elasticity, and excessive vulcanization leads to increased brittleness or accelerated aging.
Surface defects:
Surface defects such as pores, cracks and burrs reduce the sealing performance and easily cause stress concentration leading to early failure.
- Application environment factors
High temperature and high pressure:
The high temperature environment accelerates the rubber aging process and reduces the sealing performance.
High pressure environments increase the pressure on the sealing ring and accelerate wear.
Corrosive chemicals:
Corrosive chemicals such as acid, alkali and salt solutions erode rubber seals, leading to decomposition or performance degradation.
Particles and impurities:
Particles or impurities in the working medium may cause the surface of the seal ring to wear or scratch.
- External factors
Improper installation and maintenance:
Mechanical damage (such as scratches and cuts) during installation becomes the starting point of failure.
Improper maintenance leads to premature aging or wear of the seal ring.
External particle pollution:
External particle pollution is embedded in the sealing surface, causing scratches or wear.
The factors that lead to the accelerated wear of rubber seals involve many aspects such as materials, design, processing, application environment and external factors. In order to reduce wear and tear, it is necessary to consider these factors comprehensively and take corresponding preventive measures.
