Thermoplastics for pumps, valves and seals
SPECIALLY modified Tetron fluoro polymer (PTFE) thermoplastics such as Ticomp S are suitable for use in harsh, corrosive and chemical environments.
Ticomp S thermoplastics machined into washers and machinery components.
Custom engineered from Dotmar EPP , Ticomp S is a crystalline polymer-filled fluorocarbon designed to provide the performance required in applications such as back-up rings, lantern rings in slurry pumps, ball valve seats, V-rings, seals, washers and bushes, scrapers or slides.
PTFE thermoplastics are appropriate for pumps and valves that demand outstanding wear properties against soft counter faces.
Ticomp S reliably handles acid and caustic soda transfer in the food and chemicals industries when used in shaft sleeves of stainless steel pumps to reduce excessive wear of shafts and housings.
The FDA-compliant Ticomp S performs in pumps and valves that are used to transport highly corrosive chemical and other dangerous goods in industries as diverse as chemical, electrical and electronic, food processing, manufacturing, mining, pumps and valves, pneumatics and hydraulics and process engineering media.
With a chemical resistance spectrum almost the same as virgin PTFE, the highly crystalline polymer provides a yield stress of 27.2MPa, elongation of 503% and a hardness shore 65D.
In typical applications, it is the crystalline fluoro polymer that provides the appropriate performance characteristics. Unlike most grades of PTFE, Ticomp S has excellent wear resistance.
The Dotmar EPP Tetron range of stock shapes has other modified compounds and virgin grades of PTFE that cover multiple applications in heavy industries.
"As a virgin material, Tetron is affected by only a few chemicals and solvents, has outstanding dielectric properties, can operate continuously at 260ºC, with low temperature toughness, slippery non-stick surface, and excellent UV-resistance," Ado Mostacci, applications development engineer at Dotmar EPP said.
Tetron gains improved resistance to cold flow, reduced wear and friction, increased stiffness and surface hardness, improved thermal conductivity and dimensional stability when a filler is added.
Special filled formulations often incorporate glass, carbon fibres, graphite, bronze or stainless steel and a specialty area of polymer fillers including polyamides.
Hard and soft carbon alloys permit close tolerance machining. Bronze fillers offer the best creep resistance and graphite has good wear properties against soft metals. These characteristics are sought in hydraulic, pneumatic and fluid handling applications.
Tetron pin insulators are increasingly used in high frequency cable plugs for coaxial cables because Tetron’s characteristics are better than those of conventional insulating materials even at elevated temperatures and frequencies.
"Because they absorb no moisture, parts customised from Tetron maintain their physical integrity throughout their entire service life."
The Tetron range includes: Tetron S as the chemically inert virgin material; Tetron G is glass filled; Tetron C is carbon filled; Tetron B is bronze filled; Tetron GR is filled with glass graphite; and Tetco V and Ticomp S series are modified for special applications.
As they absorb no moisture, parts made from Tetron maintain integrity throughout an entire service life.
Tetron is available as a stock shape in rod, sheet and thin section sheet or rolls together with a range of custom-moulded cylinders up to 600mm diameter.
Typically, these materials are machined into seals, gaskets, seats, rings, and expansion bellows, insulators and other components where the special characteristics of virgin and modified Tetron are used to bring advantage to mechanical solutions.
20-Oct-2003