Gasket Resources Blog

What is PTFE?

As a non-reactive, hydrophobic compound, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a popular gasket material for a wide variety of niche applications across a range of industries.

Sulfuric acid is one of the most widely used chemicals across a range of industries. Despite this ubiquity, however, each sulfuric acid application requires careful material selection and evaluation, as the wrong gasket will quickly deteriorate, posing a multitude of risks when exposed to this aggressively corrosive medium.

The welded Durlon® services available at Gasket Resources Inc. allow for the manufacture of large-diameter gaskets with single-piece construction. The innovative proprietary welding process developed by GRI produces welded Durlon® filled PTFE gaskets with outside diameters that can exceed 60”.

What is a Spiral Wound Gasket?

Bolted joint failures and non-accident releases (NARs) are costly, dangerous, and usually avoidable. Often stemming from leaks, defective equipment, improper gasket installation, or simple human error, these failures can be prevented with proper gasket fabrication, manufacturing, and bolted joint installation training.

By standardizing gasket installation techniques, all workers can be uniformly trained to learn proper installation and maintenance processes. Gasket Resources, Inc. (GRI) offers hands-on training for customers and their teams, highlighting the best practices for bolt tightening, torque control, and other NARs-preventing measures. 

Engineers and procurement managers are inundated with choices of black elastomers and fluoroelastomer materials for gaskets and critical sealing applications. In normal lighting, the similarities between seals can cause confusion, accidental product mix-ups, and, ultimately, dangerous and costly gasket failure.  

What is a compressed gasket sheet?

Compressed non-asbestos gasket sheet is a thick, durable compressed substrate that is a homogenous combination of minerals, synthetic fibers, and elastomers. Compressed sheets manufactured by Gasket Resources, Inc. are made from high quality materials that include carbon, phenolic, aramid, mineral, and nitrile (NBR) synthetic rubber. Gasket Resources produces two subcategories of Durlon® compressed gasket sheet: premium compressed sheet and economy compressed sheet.

Premium compressed sheets are made from high-end gasket material with high-end binders. They are designed for a wide range of demanding applications that involve steam, mild caustics, acids, and other corrosive chemicals. Durlon® premium compressed sheets are listed below.

We are often asked about the differences between elastomeric (or soft) and hard gaskets, and which style is better suited on hinged and bolted manways. 

From a technical standpoint GRI feels the “hard” style gaskets are better suited for several reasons.  This is important because hinged and bolt manways are the number one cause of non-accident releases (NARs) in the industry.

Welcome to the Gasket Resources Inc. blog! Be sure to check in regularly for information about our gasket products, services, and hands-on training programs.

Our fluid sealing experts will be sharing helpful tips and insight on topics in each new blog post. Future blog posts will highlight topics such as:

• Five Fabrication Advantages of Choosing Durlon®
• The Color-Coding Solution: Durlon® Identa-Seal™ Program 
• A Material Spotlight Series
• Elastomeric vs. Hard Gaskets on Hinged and Bolted Manways