Professional Documents
Culture Documents
April 2003
Table of Contents
List of Figures ...............................................................................................................................................................vii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................................viii
1.0
2.0
3.0
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................5
3.1
Background Elastomers and Rubbers .........................................................................................................5
3.2
A Brief History....................................................................................................................................................6
3.2.1
Natural Rubber .............................................................................................................................................6
3.2.2
The Emergence of Synthetics......................................................................................................................8
3.2.3
Inorganic Elastomers....................................................................................................................................9
3.2.4
Elastomers Today.......................................................................................................................................10
3.3
Elastomer Chemistry........................................................................................................................................11
Polymers and Elastomers ...........................................................................................................................................11
3.3.1
Chemistry of Natural Rubber ....................................................................................................................13
3.3.2
Effects of Vulcanization............................................................................................................................14
3.3.3
Chemistry of Silicones...............................................................................................................................15
3.4
Elastomer Thermodynamics...........................................................................................................................17
4.0
4.1
The Importance of Materials Selection.........................................................................................................19
4.2
Meeting the Requirements: Translating Properties into Performance..................................................20
4.3
Knowing the Materials: Managing Environmental Effects......................................................................20
4.4
Making the Right Selection.............................................................................................................................20
4.4.1
The Realities of Materials Selection.........................................................................................................20
4.4.2
Relying on Experience: Benefits vs. Risks..............................................................................................21
4.4.3
The Pitfalls of Favoritism..........................................................................................................................21
4.4.4
Materials Selection is a Balance of Experience and Diligence ...............................................................21
4.5
Service Life ........................................................................................................................................................21
4.5.1
Defining Service Life.................................................................................................................................22
4.5.2
Service Life Expectations..........................................................................................................................22
4.5.3
The Role of Service Life in Design...........................................................................................................24
4.5.4
Other Aspects of Service Life ...................................................................................................................25
4.5.5
Shelf Life vs. Service Life .........................................................................................................................25
5.0
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.7
5.8
5.9
5.10
AMPTIAC
5.11
5.12
6.0
MATERIALS ...................................................................................................................................................35
6.1
Natural Rubber.................................................................................................................................................38
6.2
Butyl Rubber.....................................................................................................................................................40
6.3
Styrene-Butadiene ............................................................................................................................................42
6.4
Chloroprene.......................................................................................................................................................43
6.5
EPDM.................................................................................................................................................................44
6.6
Nitrile ..................................................................................................................................................................45
6.7
Fluorocarbon.....................................................................................................................................................47
6.8
Polyacrylate .......................................................................................................................................................49
6.9
Epichlorohydrin................................................................................................................................................50
6.10 Silicone ...............................................................................................................................................................51
6.10.1 Fillers ..........................................................................................................................................................52
6.10.2 Additives.....................................................................................................................................................52
6.10.3 Characteristics and Properties of Silicone Elastomers.............................................................................52
6.11 Fluorosilicone ....................................................................................................................................................55
6.12 Polyurethane......................................................................................................................................................58
6.13 Polysulfide..........................................................................................................................................................59
6.14 Material Comparisons .....................................................................................................................................61
6.15 Shelf Life ............................................................................................................................................................67
7.0
7.1
Seal Designs .......................................................................................................................................................71
7.1.1
Static Seals..................................................................................................................................................71
7.1.2
Dynamic Seals............................................................................................................................................71
7.2
Hydraulic Seals .................................................................................................................................................75
7.2.1
Ground Equipment Hydraulic Seals..........................................................................................................78
7.2.2
Aircraft Hydraulic Seals ............................................................................................................................78
7.3
Fuel Tank Seals .................................................................................................................................................83
7.3.1
Collapsible Fuel Tanks...............................................................................................................................87
7.3.2
Integral Fuel Tanks.....................................................................................................................................92
Appendix .........................................................................................................................................................................93
GLOSSARY...................................................................................................................................................................95
REFERENCES ..........................................................................................................................................................101
vi
Elastomers as Seals
April 2003
List of Figures
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
Figure 14
Figure 15
Figure 16
Figure 17
Figure 18
Figure 19
Figure 20
Figure 21
Figure 22
Figure 23
Figure 24
Figure 25
Figure 26
Figure 27
Figure 28
Figure 29
Figure 30
Figure 31
Figure 32
Figure 33
Figure 34
Figure 35
Figure 36
Figure 37
vii
AMPTIAC
List of Tables
Table 1
Table 2
Table 3
Table 4
Table 5
Table 6
Table 7
Table 8
Table 9
Table 10
Table 11
Table 12
Table 13
Table 14
Table 15
Table 16
Table 17
Table 18
Table 19
Table 20
Table 21
Table 22
Table 23
Table 24
Table 25
Table 26
Table 27
Table 28
Table 29
Table 30
Table 31
Table 32
viii