What is a Rubber Gasket?

Rubber gaskets are elastic components used for mechanically sealing the microscopic gap between two mating surfaces or joints. Examples of these surfaces are flange faces of piping and fittings, mating surfaces of an automotive cylinder head and engine block, tank rims and covers, door edges, frames, and so on. Rubber gaskets seal surfaces by flowing in and filling the surface irregularities of rigid parts. The sealing effect is created by the parts exerting compressive forces, which plastically deform the gasket. The sealing capability of rubbers is attributed to their elastomeric nature. Rubbers, natural or synthetic, belong to a family of materials called elastomers. Elastomers are classes of polymers that have a highly elastic nature created by cross-linking long polymer chains into amorphous structures. The intermolecular forces between the polymer chains are relatively weak; this allows them to be reconfigured upon application of stress. Because of this property, elastomeric gaskets can easily conform to many surface profiles, creating a tight seal.

Advantages of Rubber Gaskets

Rubber gaskets, compared to their metallic and other non-metallic counterparts, offer several benefits due to their unique set of properties. Elasticity, or the ability to be deformed, is the key attribute of rubber that allows it to form tight seals. Rubber gaskets are also easier to process and can be formulated from different raw materials. Below are some of the advantages of rubber gaskets.

Cheap and easy to manufacture:

Rubber gaskets are manufactured by combining raw rubber and additive materials and forming them into the desired profile. Like any other polymers, rubbers have excellent formability. In its liquid or uncured state, whether it be the thermosetting or thermoplastic type, rubber flows easily into molds and dies. Once hardened or cured, the material can be easily cut or machined to near-perfect dimensions. In contrast with metallic and other non-metallic gasket types, the production of rubber gaskets requires low heat and pressure. Thus, cheaper tooling is used, and lower operating costs are involved.