DuPont Performance Elastomers To Demonstrate Step Change in Process Sealing At ACHEMA 2003
A lot has happened in the world of chemical and hydrocarbon process sealing since the last Achema in 2000. And during that time, DuPont Performance Elastomers has strengthened its lead with step changes in fluoroelastomer technology and with new perfluoroelastomer products that fulfill demands from plant managers and maintenance engineers for longer seal service life and extended uptime - despite increasingly aggressive process environments.
At the triennial gathering of the global chemical industry, DuPont Performance Elastomers will unveil its most recent high performance perfluoroelastomer, Kalrez® Spectrum™ 7075, and the new Viton® TBR-S and Viton® ETP-S oil and base resistant types of Viton® specialty fluoroelastomers made with Advanced Polymer Architecture (APA). The company will also launch its updated Chemical Resistance Guide, an online seal design and compound selection service advising on the performance of 20 elastomers in more than 1,000 chemicals.
Designed as a high performance offering for critical sealing components, Kalrez® Spectrum™ 7075 perfluoroelastomer parts build on the exceptional performance of Kalrez® 4079, to set a new industry standard for severe sealing applications. Customers will benefit from longer seal life and increased mean time between repairs (MTBR) due to very low compression set, enhanced sealing force retention and higher thermal resistance, up to 327°C. In addition, Kalrez® Spectrum™ 7075 offers broader chemical resistance and better cool down set recovery than Kalrez® 4079, and provides a smoother, glossier finish than other Kalrez® products.
At ACHEMA, DuPont Performance Elastomers will present, for the first time, new generation Viton® TBR-S and ETP-S types made with APA polymers. Viton® TBR-S (Total Base Resistance) fluoroelastomer provides an optimum balance of resistance to strong basic chemicals and low volume swell. Viton® ETP-S represents the best performing Viton® fluoroelastomer in terms of extreme resistance to oils and bases.
Also showcased will be Viton® GBL-S fluoroelastomer, a special candidate for chemical processing environments that provides improved resistance to acids such as concentrated sulfuric acid, and to hot water and steam where it excels without the need for lead oxide to counter swell. These new fluoroelastomers made with Advanced Polymer Architecture are the result of a USD 50 million investment in proprietary new polymerization and curing technology at DuPont Performance Elastomers' facility in Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
DuPont Performance Elastomers will also demonstrate its updated and enlarged Chemical Resistance Guide, an established easy-to-use Internet advisory service that helps engineers and designers select the best elastomer to meet their specific chemical resistance and application needs. By selecting the most compatible elastomeric compound, users can reduce maintenance and operating costs, increase mean time between repair and maximize yield. (See story in this Elastomers Times International.)
