How To Select The Right Gasket v2

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Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................ 3
Selection Factors and Properties ............................... 4-5
Gasket Materials ............................................................... 5
- Elastometric Materials ............................................. 6-7
- Fibrous Materials ....................................................... 7-8
Gasket Construction ........................................................ 8
- Soft or Non-Metallic Gaskets ............................... 9
- Semi-Metallic Gaskets ............................................ 10
- Metallic Gaskets........................................................ 11
Testing ................................................................................... 12-13
Conclusion ............................................................................ 13
Interstate Business Park, 110 Benigno Boulevard, Bellmawr, NJ 08031 (800) 210-5000 www.mercergasket.com sales@mercergasket.com
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Introduction
Gaskets are part of our everyday lives even though we rarely see them. Whether its your washing machine or car, there is
a gasket sealing a joint, preventing fluid from leaking out. The origin of the word gasket has never been established, but
one version is that gasket may have originated as a word meaning little girl, or garcette from the French language. It may
also have been originally translated into English in the 17th century as gassit, a nautical term for a small rope for attaching
a furled sail to a mast. The accepted present day meaning of a joint seal originally made from tow or plaited hemp was
developed in the early 19th century. The main purpose of a seal is to restrain a fluid and protect the immediate environment
from contamination. A gasket is used to create and retain a static seal between two relatively stationary parts. A static seal
provides a complete physical barrier against the fluid contained within by blocking any potential leakage path.
Used to prevent the escape of air, water, gas and many other fluids, gaskets are used in almost any industry that you can
imagine. Gaskets are made from materials or a combination of materials that can be compressed and are placed between
two stationary pipes or other components prevent fluids escaping from the joint. To prevent passage of fluid, the gasket
must be able to flow into and fill any mating surface imperfections, while being sufficiently resilient to resist extrusion and
creep under the designed operating conditions. The seal is affected by the action of force upon the gasket surface normally
by bolts that compress the gasket, causing it to flow into any surface imperfections.
4
Selection Factors and Properties
Several issues are taken into consideration when selecting a gasket. Gasket
failure occurs when factors such as uneven pressures on mating surfaces,
stress relaxation and loss of torque on securing bolts and temperature are not
addressed. The temperature of the fluid that must be contained is one of the
main considerations. For example, a silicone gasket can withstand temperature
from -30 to 350F whereas a neoprene gasket can only withstand temperatures
from 30 to 180. Another important parameter is the pressure of the fluid in the
contained area. Metallic gaskets perform extremely well for very high pressures
with stainless steel having a maximum rating over their operating temperature
range of 2500 psi, while synthetic rubbers only perform well up to 60 psi. The corrosive properties of the contained fluid
play a significant role when selecting a gasket material. Nitrile rubber NBR, for example, is fairly resistant to oil but is
unsatisfactory for use with oxidizing fluids. ePTFE is resistant to all media in the 0-14 pH range, except molten alkali metals
and elemental fluorine, particularly at elevated temperatures and pressures.
Sheet Gaskets are easily the most cost effective solution for gaskets. The gasket shape is punched out of a flat sheet of
gasket material. This type of gasket can fill many chemical requirements based on the inertness of the material used and will
fit many budgetary constraints due to its inexpensive cost to manufacture. Common practice prevents these gaskets from
being used in many industrial processes based on temperature and pressure properties.

Solid material gaskets can also be economically produced. Solid material gaskets use metals which cannot be punched out of
sheets but are still inexpensive to produce. These gaskets normally have a significantly higher level of quality control than
sheet gasket material and normally can survive much higher temperatures and pressures. A disadvantage is that solid metal
must be significantly compressed for it to become flush with a flange head and prevent leakage. Other concerns include
Process contamination and oxidation. In addition, the type of metals used has to be softer than the flange to prevent the
flange from distorting, therefore preventing sealing with future gaskets.
Spiral wound gaskets are one of the most widely used gaskets in the industry. Spiral wound gaskets utilize a mix of metallic
material and filler generally flexible graphite. Normally the gasket has a carbon rich or stainless steel metal, wound
outwards in a circle with the filler material, starting at the opposite side of the circle and winding in the same direction. This
results in an increasing circle of alternating layers of filler and metal. This type of gasket has proven to be reliable in many
applications. They are more expensive than solid material but do not require as high of a bolt force to be effective due to the
fact that the graphite makes the primary seal with the flange and the metal only keeps the gasket structurally sound.
5
Selection Factors and Properties
There are several configurations of flange gaskets and each one has a specific application.

The Flat Face is an unconfined gasket and has mating faces where both flanges are flat. The gasket may be a ring type, or
full face, that covers the entire face both inside and outside the bolts.

The Raised Face is an unconfined gasket where the mating face is flat, but the area inside the bolt holes is raised. The gasket
is usually a ring type, located entirely within the bolts. The flanges can be easily disassembled without springing the flange.

The Ring Joint, also Called API Joint is a gasket where the two flange faces have matching flat-bottomed grooves with
sides tapered at an angle of 23. The gasket seats on the flat section of the flange between the bore and ring joint groove.
Another type of flange gasket is the Male-Female which is a partially confined gasket. The depth of the female or recessed
face is generally equal to or less than the height of the male or raised face. This prevents metal-to-metal contact during the
compression of the gasket. A gasket used with this type of joint must be pried apart for disassembly.
A Tongue and Groove flange gasket is a fully confined gasket that has a groove depth that is equal to or less than the
tongue height. The gasket dimensions will match the tongue dimensions and the joint must be pried apart for disassembly.

The Groove to Flat type is a fully confined gasket where one flange face is flat and the other is recessed. It is often used for
applications requiring accurate control of gasket compression. When using this configuration, it is recommended that spiral
wound, hollow metal O-ring, pressure-actuated, and metal-jacketed gaskets are used.
Double Jacketed gaskets are another widely used type. They are another combination of filler material and metallic
materials. In this application a jacketed or clad gasket is designed with a thin metal jacket to maintain gasket shape and to
house the sealing filler. Under the clamping force of the flanges, the filler is compressed and pushes the jacket into the flange
surface, creating a seal. Since all that is needed is a shell and piece, these gaskets can be made from almost any material that
can be made into a sheet and then filler can be inserted. Some of the metals used are soft aluminum, soft copper or brass,
iron or soft steel, MONEL, 4% - 6% chrome and stainless steel. Fillers include graphite, PTFE, ceramic and non-asbestos.
6
Elastomeric Materials
Elastomers are incompressible, extensible, highly impermeable and elastic. They
are can be deformed, but can never be reduced in volume. In addition they are
extensible in that they can be assembled over a projection or shoulder and snap
tightly within a groove. They are also highly impermeable, able to serve as a tight
barrier against the passage of gases or liquids. Another property is their elasticity.
Little flange pressure is required to affect intimate contact with gasket, allowing
it to move with the flange surfaces, always maintaining a seal. Elastomer sheet is
called insertion sheet when it is reinforced by a cloth or fabric to give it additional
strength and resistance to spread under compression. Elastomeric materials
are often used as a binder when compounded with various fibers and fillers. They are available in specification grade and
commercial quality.

Chlorosulphonated polyethylene is an elastomer with excellent chemical resistance against acids and alkalis with a good
resistance to oil and superior fire protection properties.
Ethylene propylenediene is another elastomer that offers good resistance to ozone, steam, strong acids and alkalis, but is not
suitable for solvents and aromatic hydrocarbons.

Another commonly used elastomeric material is Butyl rubber (IIR, also known as isobutylene or isoprene), a material that
offers good resistance to ozone and gas permeation. Often for mild acids, alkalis and esters are encountered, but offer little
resistance to oils and fuels.
Gasket Materials
Many types of materials are used in the manufacture of gaskets.
The four common types of material used are:
1. elastomeric,
2. fibrous,
3. soft or non-metallic,
4. metallic
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Fibrous Materials
Fibrous materials such as asbestos have been used for decades as a gasket
material. Asbestos has several advantages in it is incombustible and is a poor
conductor of heat. Asbestos is inert and is not toxic to touch, smell or ingestion.
Asbestos fiber is not a health hazard unless its dust becomes airborne and such
dust is continuously inhaled in large amounts over a prolonged period and for this
reason it has been banned as a gasket material.
Carbon fiber is used for its high thermal conductivity that ensures rapid heat
dissipation and allows high temperature capability with the exception of oxidizing
atmospheres). It has wide chemical resistance and may be used in the pH range 0 14 but is not suitable for oxidizing
environments.
Man made mineral fiber (MMMF), also referred to as mineral wool is an inorganic fiber consisting of metal silicates, with a
wide range of diameters and is suitable for medium to high temperature applications.
Elastomeric Materials
Natural rubber is used extensively and is noted for its excellent recovery properties. In addition it has good resistance to
most inorganic salts, mild acids and alkalis. However, it is not recommended for oils and solvents, or where exposure to ozone,
oxygen or sunlight is predominant.

Neoprene has excellent resistance to oils, ozone and weathering. It is suitable for moderate acids, alkalis, salt solutions,
petroleum, solvents, oils and fuels but not recommended for strong acids or hydrocarbons.

Nitrile or Buna N Acrylonitrile Butadiene is another elastomeric material that shows improved chemical resistance and
temperature capabilities over neoprene. It also shows good resistance to hydrocarbons and oils but is not suitable for
chlorinated hydrocarbons, esters, and strong oxidizing agents. Nitrile rubber is the most commonly used elastomer for O-rings
and other sealing devices.
Styrene butadiene (SBR) is suitable for use with weak organic acids and moderate chemicals but is not suitable for strong acids,
the majority of hydrocarbons or ozone.
8
Gasket Construction
Gaskets are also classified by their construction. There are three basic categories: soft or non-metallic, semi-metallic and
metallic. The mechanical characteristics and performance capabilities of these categories will vary extensively depending on
the type of gasket selected and the materials from which it is manufactured.
Glass has been used for many years as a gasket material with its composition of an inorganic complex of metal silicates. It
offers good strength and moderate chemical resistance and is used for medium to high temperature applications.

Other materials include flexible graphite that when processed into its exfoliated form is essentially pure graphite, typically
with over 95% elemental carbon. This material has a wide resistance to many chemicals and is suitable for use over an
extremely wide temperature range up to 400C in oxidizing environments and under certain circumstances, to 2500C in inert
conditions. It has excellent resistance to stress relaxation, even at elevated temperatures.
Mica or vermiculite is a naturally occurring, complex aluminum silicate and possesses a structure with a high degree of
flexibility, elasticity and toughness. It also displays excellent thermal stability and chemical resistance.
Cork is a commonly used gasket material as it compresses readily with negligible lateral flow, recovers speedily, and is
relatively inert. It does, however, lack flexibility and mechanical strength.
PTFE and expanded ePTFE, commonly known as Teflon, a trade name of the DuPont Company has superior resistance
to a wide range of substances with excellent anti-stick and dielectric properties. This material has high compressibility,
which allows it to conform well to flange surface irregularities. Easy to handle with low permeability and an extremely low
coefficient of friction it is, however, susceptible to degradation by radiation. PTFE has other properties that increase its value
as a sealing material. These include a high melting temperature, high corrosion resistance, high resilience and a long product
life. A critical property for seals and gaskets is PTFEs lack of memory that results in material creep. This material creep allows
the seal to conform to the mating surface, providing a secure seal.
Fibrous Materials
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Soft or Non-Metallic Gaskets
A soft cut gasket is a term used when referring to a gasket that is easily
compressed under a low bolt load. Soft cut gaskets are used in a wide range of
applications from pipe flange, heat exchanger, and compressor valve gaskets to
name just a few. A soft cut gasket can be selected from a large variety of rubbers,
PTFE, graphite, and compressed asbestos & non-asbestos sheet products. They are
typically used in medium pressure services in addition to use for extreme chemical
services and temperature applications. They also have the advantage of being able
to be produced quickly. Types include elastomers, compressed asbestos fiber (CAF),
asbestos-free (non-asbestos) compressed fiber materials such as graphite, PTFE,
cork, and mica.
In recent years, the tendency not to use asbestos fibers has become more
predominant, resulting in a new generation of non-asbestos fiber jointing material
substitutes being developed by the sealing industry. The sheets are made by
calendaring process typically using carbon, glass and aramid or a mixture of these fibers. These new materials can surpass
their asbestos counterparts, but are usually less forgiving and therefore the handling of these materials requires more care.
The maximum temperature capabilities are, however, slightly reduced compared to asbestos. The maximum temperature
limit for a given material also reduces with increasing thickness. Because of this, wherever possible it is important to use the
thinnest gasket.

Tape or cord expanded PTFE, often referred to as joint sealant, usually comes on a spool or roll. This high compression
material is very flexible and is available with adhesive on one side to aid installation. The material can be rolled out onto the
flange mating surface, cut off, overlapped and compressed between the flanges. It is often referred to as form in place;
it offers easy field installation and is ideal as a do-it-yourself gasket material. Often used for less severe pressures and
temperatures, especially where flanges are lightly loaded or of relatively flimsy construction.
10
Semi-Metallic Gaskets
Semi-metallic gaskets are composite gaskets consisting of both metallic and
non-metallic materials. The metal generally provides the strength and resilience
to the gasket. They are suitable for both low and high temperature and pressure
applications. Types include Kammprofile, metal eyelet, metal jacketed, metal
reinforced soft gaskets such as wire reinforced compressed asbestos fiber
materials, corrugated metallic and spiral wound gaskets.

Kammprofile gaskets are one example of semi-metallic gaskets that are made up
of a metal core with concentric serrated grooves on each side with a soft layer of
sealing material such as graphite bonded to each face. This construction allows for
very high compression and an extremely tight seal along the ridges of the gasket.
Normally the graphite will fail instead of the metal core but Kammprofile can be
repaired during periods of inactivity. Kammprofile is costly for most applications
but this is countered by long life and increased reliability. The metallic core material
and sealing layer material selection is dependent upon the service duty. The serrated metallic core is very efficient for sealing in
applications where high temperatures, high pressures and fluctuating conditions exist.
Metal jacketed gaskets are another example of a semi-metallic gasket and are specially designed for use in components such
as heat exchangers, autoclaves, columns, and pressure vessels. These gaskets are manufactured from a soft, flexible filler core
surrounded by a metal jacket, and provide chemically and thermally resistance too many environmental conditions. The metal
jacket may totally or partially enclose the filler. Metals such as soft iron, carbon steel and stainless steel are used in annealed
condition to encase a soft filler material, normally non-asbestos millboard. Alternative fillers include expanded graphite, PTFE,
compressed non-asbestos fiber and ceramic fiber.
In a metal eyelet gasket a metal bead that is commonly made from stainless steel is put around the inner border of the
gasket to protect the internal diameter. These gaskets can be produced using a wide range of compressed asbestos fiber and
compressed non-asbestos fiber materials; however, they are more commonly used with expanded graphite. The area under
the bead receives higher compression due to the thickness of the metal and therefore is more highly stressed than the rest
of the joint. Graphite is used as additional compression is more easily achieved. Other advantages of this construction are
anti-blow-out giving extra safety and strength to the gasket, making it easier to handle and assemble non-contamination of
the medium from the gasket material and erosion prevention at high velocities.
In cylinder heads and exhaust manifolds on internal combustion engines where the gasket width must be narrow,
compressed asbestos fiber (CAF) sheets or compressed asbestos-free fiber sheets are reinforced with mesh wire gauge to
resist blow out. Sheet jointing of pure graphite is reinforced with a central layer of stainless steel to give them extra strength
for ease of handling and installation. In these gaskets the graphite is compressed onto the perforated metal sheet to give
a secure mechanical lock without using adhesive. Bonding a central layer of stainless steel or nickel foils also gives extra
strength to such sheets.
11
Metallic Gaskets
Metallic gaskets are fabricated from a single metal or a combination of metallic
materials in a variety of shapes and sizes. They are suitable for high temperature
and pressure applications but higher loads are required to seat this type of gasket.
Types include ring type joints, lens rings, and welded gaskets. These gaskets, along
with the older style jacketed gaskets are widely used in petrochemical applications.
Metallic gaskets often utilize a soft sealing media such as graphite used in
conjunction with the metal to create a high-strength, high-integrity gasket able to
create joints with a high resistance to leaking.

Various metallic materials are used in todays gaskets including carbon steel,
titanium, aluminum, copper, Inconel and Monel.

Carbon steel is a material frequently used in manufacturing jacketed gaskets and
ring joints. Due to its low resistance to corrosion it should not be used in water,
diluted acids or saline solutions. It may be used in some alkalis and in some concentrated acids. The temperature limit for this
material is 900 F (500 C).
Various stainless steel alloys are used to manufacture gaskets. Each alloy has different temperature characteristics and
corrosion properties.
Titanium is a metal with excellent corrosion properties in elevated temperatures, oxidant service, Nitric acid and caustic
solutions. It has a very high temperature limit of 2000 F (1100 C).
Aluminum is used due to its excellent resistance to corrosion and easy handling. The maximum operating temperature is 860
F (460 C).
Copper is a material often used in small dimension gaskets, where the maximum seating stress is limited. The Maximum
operating temperature for copper is 500 F (260 C).
A more exotic metal that is used for gaskets is Inconel. This alloy has excellent corrosion resistance from cryogenic to high
temperatures. Its Temperature limit is 2000 F (1100 C).
Another exotic alloy is Monel, offering excellent resistance to the majority of acids and alkalis, except to extremely oxidant
acids. It should not be used in the presence of fluorine-silicon acid and Mercury. When used in combination with PTFE, such as
spiral wound gaskets, it is ideal for severe corrosion services, such as Hydrofluoric acid. The maximum operating temperature
is 1500 F (815 C).
12
Metal Gasket Types
Testing
The ring type solid metal gasket provides an outstanding mechanical joint and has almost universal acceptance in the oil,
petroleum and chemical processing industries where elevated mechanical and thermal performance is required. The original
ring joint design is the type R oval configuration followed by the type R octagonal which offered more precise sealing
contact areas.
Weld ring gaskets are another type of metallic gasket that is suitable for critical applications where a leak-proof joint is
critical. Sealing is achieved by welding the two gasket halves together.

Solid corrugated metal gaskets are comprised solely of metal and do not contain any non-metallic fillers in their construction.
The temperature limitation of this type of gasket is only affected by the metal selected. Typically used for high temperature
applications and applications involving steam, water, gas, and oil up to 1000 psi.
Accurate testing of gasket performance is critical to ensure that a specific gasket will meet the parameters required for an
application. Temperature, compression, pressure, sealibility and ability to resist chemical degradation are just some of many
tests that can be carried out to determine applicability. Many of the tests are standardized by organizations such as ASTM, DIN
and UL to verify that the test results are consistent. There are a multitude of tests that can be carried out depending upon the
application. For critical applications such as the aerospace and nuclear industries, for example, testing is often carried out for
altitude, salt/fog and acceleration.
For example, an important characteristic for industrial gaskets is their capacity for tolerating compressive loads. Testing such as
the hot compression test, can be used to determine a specific gaskets ability to withstand various weights and temperatures.
Typically, a gasket is placed between the exertion bolts of a hydraulic press. The temperature is increased, often up to nearly
600 F, at an incremental rate over a given period of time while the press exerts constant load pressure on the gasket. Any
decreases in material thickness are measured and used to assess the gaskets effectiveness. Tests such as this can be helpful in
selecting a gasket or deciding upon a given material or design configuration.
13
Testing
Conclusion
Creep and relaxation are two important properties for gaskets and ASTM F38, Test Methods for Creep Relaxation of a Gasket
Material outlines a testing that can be carried out to determine these properties. The two terms, creep and relaxation, can be
considered separately and in conjunction. Separately, they can be defined as follows. Creep is the loss of gasket thickness under
constant load. If a compressive load were applied to a gasket sample of a given size, thickness would decrease. As the thickness
decreases, the load would be allowed to remain against the gasket surface. The load would remain constant. This decrease
in gasket thickness over time is defined as creep. Relaxation is the measure of the loss in compressive stress under constant
deflection. If a gasket is compressed to a specific thickness and the movement of the device applying the load is fixed so that
its position cannot change, the change in the load over time would be a measure of the gaskets relaxation.

An example of a test that is not environmental is testing for EMI/RFI emissions and is common for electronics equipment. EMI/
RFI gasket protects any seam areas of electronic devices from ambient interference and/or controlled radiated emissions. The
level of these emissions is determined to verify that the equipment will meet specific standards.
We trust that our EBook has given you a better idea of the factors that affect the selection of a gasket. The choice of a gasket
for a specific purpose can be a complicated and time consuming process. At Mercer Gasket our professional staff can assist you
in your selection and provide technical data for you to make your decision. Please visit our website and review our Materials
Guide and Chemical Resistance Chart.

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