What is Viton O Ring?
A Viton® O-ring is a sealing ring made of fluoroelastomer, also known as fluorocarbon rubber. Viton® is essentially the brand name given to the material by Chemours. Viton™ is a fluoropolymer elastomer and synthetic rubber compound, trademarked by DuPont under this brand name. It’s a fluorinated hydrocarbon rubber product with amazing capabilities, developed to withstand even the most challenging of environments.Chemical compatibility is extremely important during the material selection process to ensure your material will not react when introduced to specific chemicals. With exceptional chemical resistance, Viton® offers swell resistance in high octane and oxygenated fuel blends.To this day, that material is now used in a number of other industries, including the automotive, appliance, and chemical and fluid industries. Originally trademarked by DuPont (now the Chemours Company), Viton® is now a generally accepted generic term for a brand of fluroelastomer called FKM.Viton is resistant to oils, aqueous media and most other fluids. The range of chemicals to which Viton is resistant is so broad that it is by far easier to list the few chemicals in which Viton will be chemically attacked or swollen.
What is the difference between Viton O ring and normal O ring?
Standard rubber compounds typically harden, crack, or lose elasticity at high temperatures — leading to leaks, contamination, and mechanical failure. Viton O-rings, on the other hand, are built to withstand continuous operating temperatures up to 400°F (200°C) and short-term exposure up to 600°F (315°C). Viton O-rings, on the other hand, are built to withstand continuous operating temperatures up to 400°F (200°C) and short-term exposure up to 600°F (315°C). This makes them suitable for engines, turbines, pumps, and industrial ovens, where both high heat and chemical exposure are present.The Viton O-ring has outstanding resistance to a wide array of challenging conditions, including high temperatures, ozone, oxygen, mineral oil, synthetic hydraulic fluids, fuels, aromatics, and numerous organic solvents and chemicals.Fluorocarbon (FKM) o-rings offer excellent resistance to chemicals, oil, ozone and sunlight with a higher temperature range than nitrile, AFLAS, EPDM and some of the common industrial materials with an operating range up to 400° F.FKM (Viton®) is the best O-ring material for engines due to its superior resistance to high temperatures, oils, fuels, and chemical additives. HNBR is also widely used where slightly lower temperature resistance is acceptable.Until you know the specifics of the media and your actual temperature range, nitrile is your baseline. For more extreme temperatures, fluorocarbon, also known as Viton® O-rings, could be a better choice for you as they can withstand temperatures up to 400ºF.
What is the alternative to Viton O-ring?
Among the many options available, Viton® and nitrile stand out as two of the most widely used. Both offer strong sealing capabilities, reliable compression set, and distinct chemical resistance profiles. Nitrile, a synthetic rubber composed of acrylonitrile (ACN) and butadiene, remains an industry-standard sealing material for O-rings due to its balance of performance, affordability, and chemical resistance.Rubber is one of the most commonly used materials in oil seal manufacturing, primarily featuring nitrile rubber (NBR), fluororubber (FKM).Buna-N, also known as Nitrile, is the sealing industry’s most economical and widely used elastomer. This synthetic rubber material is ideally used for o-rings, gaskets, seals and custom molded components for a variety of industries and applications. Material selection plays a critical role in successful seal design.Fluoroelastomer, FKM, FPM, and Viton® are all different names for the same synthetic rubber material family.
How long do Viton O-rings last?
The lifespan of Fluorosilicone O-rings is 10–15 years in fuel, oil, and solvent exposure, making them more durable than silicone. Viton O-rings can last 15–20 years or more in extreme heat and aggressive chemicals, offering the longest service life. The automotive industry relies on Viton® o-rings for fuel handling systems. Their resistance to the corrosive nature of various fuels and additives and their ability to withstand high temperatures makes them ideal for use in fuel injectors, fuel pumps, and in the high-heat environment of combustion engines.Standard rubber compounds typically harden, crack, or lose elasticity at high temperatures — leading to leaks, contamination, and mechanical failure. Viton O-rings, on the other hand, are built to withstand continuous operating temperatures up to 400°F (200°C) and short-term exposure up to 600°F (315°C).
What is another name for Viton?
Fluoroelastomer, FKM, FPM, and Viton® are all different names for the same synthetic rubber material family. Viton is a brand of FKM fluoroelastomer rubber, a synthetic rubber and fluoropolymer elastomer commonly used in O-rings, chemical-resistant gloves, and other molded or extruded goods.Viton® is a specific brand of Fluorocarbon (FKM) and is a registered trademark of The Chemours Company. This synthetic rubber polymer is commonly used in o-ring applications for aircraft engines, automotive fuel handling systems and other applications requiring high temperatures and low compression set.Viton™ is a fluoropolymer elastomer and synthetic rubber compound, trademarked by DuPont under this brand name. It’s a fluorinated hydrocarbon rubber product with amazing capabilities, developed to withstand even the most challenging of environments.FKM material is the ASTM designation for a class of fluorinated, carbon-based synthetic rubber, commonly known as FKM rubber or fluoroelastomer. Its impressive heat resistance allows FKM seals to withstand temperatures greater than 200°C.Fluoro-Elastomer is usually referred to as FKM FPM or as VITON™ after the popular brand which produces it. You may see this rubber listed in different places with these different names, but they are all one and the same. Originally developed by Du Pont, it is produced by a number of companies around the world.
What is better than Viton?
Buna is effective to 250°F. However, it can effectively seal mechanical objects at low temperatures to –22°F. Viton seals are rendered ineffective at temperatures below 5°F, with the material becoming hard and inflexible. Environmental conditions also differentiate the application of Buna vs. Both Viton and PTFE have their strengths, and which one is better depends on your specific application. Viton is excellent for flexible seals that need to resist oils and fuels, while PTFE is ideal for extreme chemical resistance and non-stick applications.Disadvantages of Viton® Seals Performance-wise, Viton® isn’t ideal for every application. For instance, under excessively high temperatures (or fire), fluoroelastomers like Viton® decompose, often releasing hydrogen fluoride, which is toxic and associated with ongoing respiratory tract irritation.Do not use Viton with acetone, esters, amines, organic acids, acetic acid, MEK, ethyl acetate, highly polar chemicals, etc. Viton is generally serviceable in dynamic applications to temperatures of -18 to -23 °C. Special formulations permit its use in static applications down to -54°C.Viton®/ FKM and NBR compounds have several very crucial differences that make them well-suited to certain applications. While both Viton/ FKM and NBR seals act as very good sealing options at moderate temperatures, Viton®/ FKM is far superior for high temperature applications.
Are PTFE and Viton the same?
Both Viton (a brand of fluoroelastomer) and PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) have distinct properties that make them suitable for different situations. FKM excels in sealing and chemical resistance, particularly in high temperatures and harsh chemicals. On the other hand, PTFE is unmatched for non-stick applications and extreme chemical resistance. Choosing between these two materials depends on the specific needs of your project.