O-rings are used in many industries, including the automotive, food, chemical and medical industries, and are a popular type of universal gasket. They are mainly used for the appropriate isolation of movable and fixed elements of heavy industrial machines. Thanks to their properties, they are almost everywhere an obligatory part of modern technical equipment that support and facilitate everyday work. The silicone O-rings for the medical industry offered on our website are distinguished by high quality, high durability and, above all, effectiveness.

What are sealing rings used for?

An O-ring is basically a sealing ring that has the shape of a circle in cross section, hence the name of the product. Their creation enabled the beginning of a completely new chapter in the subject of technical seals. They are very flexible, effective and airtight elements. The relatively low cost of production makes them readily used by many professionals in various industries. As seals, they prevent the propagation of vibrations harmful to human health and comfort, reduce friction, and thus extend the service life of the machine. O-rings are an excellent electrical insulator thanks to the properties of silicone. The material is also not very sensitive to ozone, although a much better solution – for contact with ozone – are fluorine mixtures, e.g. FKM or FPM.

Silicone o-rings dedicated to high temperature

Silicone O-rings have hydrophobic properties. This means that they do not absorb water and are generally waterproof. Thanks to this, even in contact with rain, solutions or other liquids, they are fully functional and can properly seal specific elements. O-rings, which are in the assortment of the Power Rubber online store, also have the American FDA food certificate, which ensures high product hygiene. The fulfillment of this demanding approval allows the use of our O-rings for direct contact with food and their use in the medical industry. The o-rings also have a flexible silicone structure, which allows for a wide range of temperature tolerances from -50 degrees Celsius. Celsius up to +240 degrees Celsius degrees. The high-temperature silicone variants available on the market are even more resistant and enable operation at temperatures up to +300 degrees Celsius. degrees. Comparing NBR O-rings have a resistance of up to about +100 degrees. C, silicone o-rings are often called temperature origami.

What are O-rings made of?

O-rings are made of materials from a wide group of elastomers. These include, among others, NBR, FPM (including FKM, Viton), although the most popular are made of EPDM or VMQ (MVQ, silicone). Such a large variety allows for appropriate and precise selection of the seal for a specific problem. Such a decision should be made mainly on the basis of the type of insulation needed and temperature, because each of these materials has a different resistance. O-rings are easy to apply, and the element itself is available in many sizes and colors. They will prove themselves not only in static devices, but also in hydraulic and pneumatic cylinders. O-rings are also often used for devices that use rotary motion. The key to the phenomenon of these gaskets is probably their simplicity, and at the same time high functionality and versatility. The key to the phenomenon of these gaskets is probably their simplicity, and at the same time high functionality and versatility. Thanks to its flexibility, it can perfectly adapt to the shape of the groove in the device. If it is possible to choose the material of the ring gasket, its diameter and assemble it accurately, it is a very durable and effective solution for many applications. Thus, silicone O-rings are used in many different places.

The main advantages of sealing rings in the medical sector

Despite common knowledge about the effectiveness of this universal sealing solution, few people are well aware of the specific advantages of using these small parts. Silicone and rubber o-rings are designed to:

thoroughly and precisely seal technical devices in hospitals, offices and laboratories
work even at very high temperatures
it would be easy to keep them sterile
provide accurate and tight protection against leakage of water and other liquids from the container
extend the time of efficient and effective operation of various professional equipment used in medicine and diagnostics
ensure full functionality of individual machine parts
save time on installing complicated insulation systems

As you can see, silicone O-rings have a wide range of implementation and use. This is mainly due to the properties of VMQ and MVQ mixtures, especially resistance to high temperatures.

Silicone o-rings – application in many industries

Of course, this specific type of O-ring seals is not only used in medicine. O-rings are widely used in the food, automotive, sports, aerospace, and heavy industries. They are also often used in private homes or workshops – mechanical, carpentry and similar. O-rings work well in movable and stable constructions, because they are flexible enough to adapt their shape to the current requirements or the movement of the machine parts. Silicone rings are also widely used, thanks to the properties of being safe for health, not transferring smell or taste. In addition, they are easy to maintain, hygienic and even sterile, which makes them often used in medical and other laboratories, as well as in gastronomy. Silicone o-rings can also be used in chemical or biological laboratories, pharmaceutical factories, where they come into contact with concentrated substances, because they are not susceptible to reacting with them.

Silicone o-ringsfor the automotive industry

The automotive industry mainly uses NBR blends. NBR o-rings have increased resistance to various lubricants and liquids from oil tanks. For the same reason, they are used in pumps and pistons, but where high temperature resistance is needed, silicone compounds are used. Silicone o-rings are fully adapted to installation on equipment operating under water – they include, among others, cameras, underwater cameras, diving cylinders and garden hoses.

What determines the choice of rubber O-rings?

Despite the great versatility and flexibility of these small insulating elements, there are certain rules for selecting O-rings for specific equipment. Sealing rings are made of various materials – the most popular are silicone or a certain type of rubber, but the group of elastomers is much wider. A specific granulate or mixture has its own individual, specific properties that will affect the features and purpose of the O-ring. In order to correctly select a gasket, first of all, you need to know the specifics of the device that requires insulation. The key factor here will be the temperature to which the device can heat up. In addition to the standard tolerance, there are also high-temperature seals that can work freely even at +300 degrees Celsius. degrees. The other end of the spectrum is -50 degrees. Such a wide range of possible O-rings allows the use of these elements even in intensively working engines and heated gastronomic devices. Another aspect is, of course, the size of the O-ring, which must be properly selected to effectively and accurately seal a given machine in a static or dynamic state. Just as the degree of resistance of the rings to various factors varies depending on the material used for their production, the resistance to water is always universal. It is worth adding that silicone O-rings are also resistant to UV rays.

FDA silicone O-rings. Certified for contact with foodstuffs

It can certainly be said that all silicone O-rings are highly durable and very functional, especially including the possibility of contact with foodstuffs. With the use of the right mixtures, they have FDA certification. They are referred to as FDA silicone O-rings, i.e. dedicated rubber O-rings for contact with food products.

white silicone O-rings Flexibility and high functionality

Silicone o-rings are extremely durable, and even despite operating at high temperatures, up to several hundred degrees Celsius, they remain highly flexible. You can easily bend them. This ability to deform and adjust its shape allows it to perfectly match the shape and surface of the gap to be sealed in the device. This means that O-rings made of any elastomer can be pressed and flattened at any selected angle. As a result, they also easily adapt to complex, polygonal or curved elements. In the case of a very irregularly shaped gap, it is best to choose the rubber o-rings of the plastic suggested by the POWER Rubber Specialists, so that it fits the device even more accurately and insulates it properly. The harder the seal, the less flexible it is. However, it also has other advantages. Harder silicone O-rings are much less resistant to scratches, abrasion and other mechanical damage. On the other hand, they are not so affected by the effects of weather conditions, such as frost, rain, snow or sun. Hard rings are much more suitable for dynamic devices. Special O-rings with a low coefficient of sliding friction are also recommended for them. These anti-skid properties are well suited to equipment that is in motion. Slippery silicone O-rings are perfect for reciprocating and rotating machines. Due to the greater flexibility, they are also easier to put on.

Here you will find a wide selection of O-rings – the priceis surprising!

Characteristics of the most popular O-ring materials

In fact, silicone o-rings are only one category of a whole, very complex group of elastomer rings. Among the available gaskets used in the medical industry and other industries, there are at least a dozen types, and this number is constantly increasing by creating unique mixtures. This significantly influences the later properties of a given O-ring and its application. A different composition will have an impact on such features as abrasion, hardness, flexibility and resistance – including temperature. The most popular O-rings are listed below and where they are used.

NBR O-rings– a type of seals highly resistant to abrasion and other mechanical damage. They have a wide range of temperature tolerances – from -30 degrees Celsius to +90 degrees. These O-rings also have a very high resistance to silicone lubricants, oils (synthetic and natural, animal and vegetable), hydraulic fluids, propane, butane, acid and alkaline solutions (especially important in the medical and pharmaceutical industries when working with concentrated chemicals) and kerosene. Interestingly, O-rings made of nitrile compounds are one of the cheaper gaskets. They are especially recommended for use in closed rooms because they have a low tolerance to UV rays.
EPDM O-rings – this is an abbreviation of ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, which works best in the range of -45 degrees. Celsius up to +130 degrees Celsius. Celsius, depending on the method and course of vulcanization. They belong to the ring seals highly insensitive to chemical factors, including the effects of ozone, alcohols, oils, silicone lubricants, ketones (and acetone is popular among these compounds), but also hot water and steam. However, it should be remembered that this type of gaskets should not come into contact with crude oil, which may adversely affect the effectiveness of EPDM O-rings. Due to their chemical resistance, they are most often used in car brake systems and in washing machines, dishwashers and other household appliances.
VMQ o-rings – in other words, silicone o-rings. This is one of the most popular types of gaskets. Thanks to the material, it is a completely hygienic product, possible to use in sterile conditions, as well as odorless and safe for health. It is resistant to fungi and bacteria, and this lack of susceptibility to microorganisms means that silicone o-rings are often used in hospitals, medical laboratories and pharmaceutical factories. Their advantage is also high flexibility, which goes hand in hand with low abrasion. This guarantees a long service life and functionality. Manufacturers recommend the use of these gaskets for industry, with high temperature resistance from -60 degrees Celsius. Celsius to +200 degrees Celsius, rather in static devices. Additionally, these silicone O-rings are not susceptible to hot air, ozone or UV radiation.
HNBR o-rings– made of hydrogenated acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. It is an exceptionally modern elastomer that has been designed to work in a wider temperature range than NBR O-rings. The rings in the improved version can work from -30 degrees Celsius up to +150 degrees. They are a high-quality seal intended especially for dynamic devices with high loads. HNRB o-rings are also characterized by low abrasion and are not susceptible to mechanical damage such as scratches or scrapes. They have high tensile strength and a much lower risk of oxidation. Due to these features, they are often used in air conditioning systems.
FKM (FPM) O-rings – commonly known as fluorine O-rings, are made of innovative elastomers with a fluorine group. This provides them with properties such as resistance to temperatures from -20 degrees Celsius to +200 degrees degrees. They are an excellent element for sealing installations under vacuum, because they are one of the few that do not allow even gases to pass through. They are not recommended for use in contact with water vapor. They are best suited as seals of devices working with lubricants, various types of oils and gasoline.

Diverse selection of elastomer O-rings

Silicone O-rings are available in a wide range in our dedicated production and in our Power Rubber online store. This allows you to easily choose the right model to suit your needs. It is a small element with universal application, the simple assembly of which can significantly extend the life of medical, laboratory and other devices.

Specialists point out that silicone O-rings are characterized by a very simple assembly on any device and what is better – does not require the use of any tools. Before applying the gasket, you only need to precisely and carefully clean the groove in the device and, if necessary, apply special grease or oil. For the sake of your safety and correct installation, be careful about sharp edges in the devices. This can damage the silicone O-rings and thus cause faster wear or breakage. At the same time, it can even affect the functioning of the entire machine.

We cordially invite you to contact us directly. Our professional advisers will help you choose the best, so as to find the most functional technical seals for your individual needs. Silicone O-rings can be self-assembled, which allows you to avoid the high costs of repair and maintenance or the use of specialized equipment in the event of problems with the sealing of specific parts. We encourage you to send inquiries and to familiarize yourself with the wide range of other products available on our website, where you will find silicone o-rings, as well as other rubber products such as vibro-isolators, plates and mats, industrial floors and professional technical adhesives.