Cylinder Head Gasket: How To Choose The Best Head Gasket Material
When it comes to choosing the best material selection for a cylinder head gasket and specific application there are a lot of things to consider. It’s essential that the material is compatible with the surrounding environment, can withstand the operating temperature and pressure, and is flexible enough to achieve a good seal. A brief history Even up until the 1980’s, asbestos-based sheet packing was the material most used to make commercial and industrial gaskets. Due to its resistance to high temperatures, durability, flexibility, and its relatively affordable cost, asbestos was an ideal choice for gaskets. Of course, we now know that exposure to asbestos is extremely harmful. Therefore by cutting, sawing or sanding it workers were being exposed to microscopic asbestos fibers. Resulting in a dangerous work environment. The solution In view of this, the gasket industry needs asbestos-free materials. However, they still need to maintain the high levels of durability, flexibility, and resistance of asbestos. As a result, the following materials were introduced: Elastomeric materials such as Nitrile Rubber, Butyl Rubber and Styrene Butadiene Fibrous materials such Glass, Cellulose, Carbon Fibre Metal materials such Aluminium, Steel, Titanium Other materials such PTFE There are three categories of gasket material; soft (non-metallic), semi-metallic, or metallic. Read the full article