What are silicone VMQ o-rings used for and where can they be purchased?

What are silicone o-rings and what sets them apart?

Silicone o-rings have a round cross-section. They are mainly used for static sealing. They are suitable for work at high temperatures. Compared to other circular cross-section sealing rings, they stand out for their broad range of resistance because they feature a wide range of working temperatures, from -60° C to +200° C. Thanks to their thermal resistance, you can be sure that using them for insulation will not lead to freezing or melting due to natural causes. Furthermore, due to their structure, VMQ o-rings are resistant to hot air, ozone, and UV radiation while maintaining their flexibility.

As known, o-rings are made from various elastomeric materials. Other o-rings have temperature resistance ranging from -20° C to +190° C, meaning that too low or too high temperatures can significantly affect their sealing effectiveness and structural flexibility. O-rings are one of the most commonly chosen technical seals. Although all of them have the same task - to provide reliable and effective sealing against leaks, silicone o-rings, due to their good resistance to high temperatures, are a popular choice in applications where the installation is exposed to hot air, ozone, or saline solutions.

It is also worth noting that silicone o-rings do not affect the taste and odor, making them suitable for use in the medical, food, and pharmaceutical industries.

Silicone VMQ o-rings - properties and characteristics

VMQ o-rings stand out for their unique set of characteristics and wide range of applications. One of these features is very good electrical insulation, which they owe to their structure and the chemical compounds contained in silicone.

Compared to other o-rings, they stand out for their physiological neutrality and material cleanliness, making them suitable for many industries, including the medical and food processing sectors. They also boast good resistance to high temperatures and degradation caused by ozone, as well as resilience to hot air, making them suitable for use in virtually any static installation.

Silicone o-rings also have some limitations. They do not have high durability, and prolonged wear can significantly deteriorate their condition, so they should not be used in dynamic sealing applications. They should not be used where there is a high concentration of gas, as their resistance will gradually decrease, leading to leaks from the system. Circular cross-section silicone sealing rings should also not be used in the presence of water vapor, as their resistance in such conditions will not be as high as in others.

Types of o-rings

On the market, you can find several different types of o-rings, depending on their specifications and applications. Among them, we can distinguish NBR o-rings, which perform well with industrial acids, oils, and alkaline solutions but do not have good ozone resistance. They also have much lower resistance to high temperatures than silicone o-rings because their temperature resistance range is between -30° C and +90° C.

Another type is EPDM o-rings, which, unlike silicone o-rings, exhibit high resistance to steam, inorganic acids, and short-chain acids, as well as ozone, and time does not affect their elasticity.

FKM o-rings, commonly known as "oil-resistant," are used for all types of lubricants, oils, hydraulic fluids, and ozone. Their high-temperature resistance is similar to that of silicone o-rings, as it reaches up to +210° C.

As seen, silicone o-rings are the most versatile because their flexibility, good resistance to hot air, and high-temperature resistance distinguish them from other o-rings. While EPDM and FKM o-rings are also ozone-resistant, silicone o-rings additionally cope well with oxygen and UV radiation. Used in industry for static seals where high temperatures are a concern, and at the same time, there are no acids or gases present. O-rings serve to prevent leaks and the ingress of contaminants into the system.

Technical seals in devices

It is known that most mechanical devices contain elements that necessarily require additional sealing. Regardless of the reason for this, it is necessary to equip oneself with appropriate silicone o-rings. Of course, silicone sealing does not seem to be the only necessary solution, but it is certain that it will be the best one.

Proper sealing is an essential element of any device - only the right seals guarantee that the equipment will operate smoothly. Silicone o-rings are small elements, but their characteristics make them indispensable for good working conditions and safety on the job.

Rubber o-rings seal perfectly. Their high flexibility allows them to adapt to almost any device. Additionally, their high durability and good mechanical properties ensure safe machine use. The principle of o-ring operation is invaluable, and there should be no compromise on such purchases. This is because damage to the cheapest types of seals can lead to further machine damage. Therefore, it is worth investing in this seemingly small purchase.

How does an o-ring work?

We know the technical issues related to various types of o-rings. Silicone o-rings, or torus-shaped seals, come in various dimensions. The inner cord ranges from 35 hundredths of a millimeter to 12 millimeters. This seal is an automatic and dual-sided sealing element. The initial clamp it causes acts radially or axially, thereby ensuring full tightness in the absence of pressure. As a result of the interaction of pressure, various forces from the preliminary clamp and pressure combine, enabling the creation of a total sealing force, which increases with increasing pressure. It is precisely the high pressure that gives silicone o-rings properties similar to those of a liquid with an extremely high surface tension. This tension allows pressure to be evenly distributed in all directions. If not for this specific property of silicone o-rings, the sealing material would quickly succumb to machine pressure and lead to the system's leakage. As a result, the device would quickly be damaged.

Special silicone o-rings are excellent seals in places where static application is associated with very high temperatures. Their extraordinary flexibility is not the only feature that makes them highly valued by users.

In addition, they have fatigue resistance - a feature that ensures the longevity of the entire machine - as the material fatigues faster, the machine will be at risk sooner. High resistance also characterizes these silicone protections. They are primarily resistant to hot air, but not only. Operating ozone and UV radiation are a nuisance to most protections in machinery worldwide.

That is why silicone o-rings are increasingly being used, as they have proven their resistance long ago and continue to do so. However, resistance to high temperatures alone is not everything. The art is that silicone materials can withstand extreme temperatures.

The characteristics listed here are just a part of what makes silicone o-rings made of VMQ so highly esteemed worldwide. VMQ type o-rings expand the limitations of regular silicone versions. In the VMQ edition, they provide extremely hygienic sealing and have also found applications in the medical and food industries. It is valuable that they do not affect the smell and taste in the environment where they are so often used.

Due to their unique properties, silicone o-rings are often used in a wide range of applications in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, space, medical, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Silicone o-rings can also be found in cooling systems, pressure washers, water treatment devices, semiconductor systems, and food processing.

What do the colors of rubber o-rings mean?

Colorful silicone o-rings, but not only, are the result of the latest technological advancements and the clever use of newly acquired knowledge. Thanks to these technologies, it is possible to produce o-rings in any color, although global standards have created certain defined divisions. So what are the colors of o-rings? Here they are and their applications:

• Black O-rings - have a natural color originally known to all manufacturers of these seals. In this color, you can find seals made from the cheapest (and therefore most popular) material, i.e., NBR. Rubber rings, which are a mixture of FKM/FPM/Viton, are also available in the commonly known black color. Where else is this color used? In cooling systems, where Neoprene is used - a material resistant to the action of oils, UV radiation, ozone, etc. This also applies to some of the best o-rings. VMQ silicone o-rings also have a black color. EPDM, a mixture of ethylene-propylene rubber, is also a base for black-colored o-rings. They are recommended for use when there is a risk of exposure to sunlight.
• Red O-rings - this color is mainly found in silicone o-rings, where the red, distinctive color stands out from the rest.
• Clay Red O-rings - in this variation, VMQ silicone o-rings are created in a characteristic O section. These o-rings, whose typically clay-red color is so atypical, can be FDA-certified. What does this mean? Simply put, they can be used in the food industry, where they are in direct contact with food production and processing.
• Green O-rings - this color of hope is mainly found in EPDM material, which is recommended for use when in contact with water. Other materials that can be used to create green o-rings are FKM and Viton. Green sealing rings are also made from HNBR - they provide high oil and abrasion resistance, making them suitable where frequent disassembly of machines and their parts is present.
• White O-rings - this innocent color is synonymous with PTFE type, an extremely hard product made of Teflon. They can be produced in other colors - as with VMQ and MVQ rings, which does not change their properties.
• Silver Seals - this seal type is most commonly made from a fluorine mixture. Yes, these are the aforementioned FKM, FPM, or Viton.
• Blue O-rings - in this color, silicone seals are primarily produced. Alternatively, an FKM mixture can be used, which will still be better than basic NBR o-rings. The latter are characterized by lower chemical resistance and a lower temperature range.
• Brown Seals - this distinctive color can be found with NBR, a synthetic rubber, and in OP rings made of Viton.
• Graphite O-rings - characterized by a circular cross-section, are typically made of FFKM. They are mainly intended for the aerospace industry. In the case of brown o-rings made of FPM, it is recommended to use them in contact with mineral oils.
• Orange O-rings - these are mainly made of silicone, VMQ, or MVQ.
• Transparent Seals - these transparent seals are made of silicone. This material is so unique that seals can be made from it that are not entirely permeable to the human eye.
• Yellow O-rings - they are usually made of silicone, although PTFE material can also be a base for these seals. EPDM seals, used in steam wheels and compressors and where there is contact with ozone, also take on this color.
• Purple O-rings - are produced from EPDM and MVQ. Where will they find their application? Primarily where liquids are applied. The odorless nature of the silicone variant makes the food line particularly pleased with these o-rings.
• Milky O-rings - the milky color of o-rings is quite common but has two distinct variants of use. Firstly, it is used where there is contact with food items. In this case, the milky color is taken on by a silicone mixture, i.e., a rubber mixture with VMQ or MVQ symbols. This variant is also used for sealing places with very high temperatures, up to 260 degrees Celsius. Variants accepting even higher temperatures can withstand up to 300 degrees Celsius. Secondly, the milky color is used in technologically advanced places - there, a mixture of FFKM will be used.
• Flesh-Colored Seals - this color indicates mixtures for special tasks, including FFKM. It is dedicated to use in the pharmaceutical industry, as these o-rings are highly resistant to aggressive chemicals - which also translates into an extremely high price.
• Gray O-rings - in Poland, the gray color is assigned to OP rings and is most commonly found in FKM and FPM mixtures, so it is used in contact with mineral and synthetic oils. This color of seals is also present in mixtures of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber, i.e., NBR.

Each color of an o-ring has its meaning. Among the mentioned colors, many concern silicone o-rings, clearly showing that this material has a wide range of applications, as seen in clay-red and milky o-rings.

Where can I buy silicone o-rings?

If you want to equip yourself with high-quality silicone o-rings, you should choose a store where various dimensions, reasonable prices, sufficient quantity, and delivery that will not take several days are available. Most stores conduct online sales, where order shipment poses absolutely no problem. However, if you do not want to use the store's online service and want to start working on the same day - instead of adding them to the virtual shopping cart, it is worth checking where you can buy silicone o-rings in person.

A store in Warsaw will be ideal for customers living in the capital, and those who cannot visit it directly - will certainly be delighted with a rich assortment and a wide online offer.

Our Power Rubber store has been supplying silicone o-rings to Pruszków, Ochota, and other districts in Warsaw for years. So if you are looking for seals that have applications with a wide range of temperatures - do not hesitate and check out our offer today!

If you are looking for high-quality silicone o-rings, please contact us.