Fluorosilicone VS. Silicone for Gasket Seal Valve

Fluorosilicone (FVMQ, FSR) is an elastomer containing trifluoropropyl groups with long service life, which likes silicone (VMQ) material offering excellent extreme temperature stability and mechanical properties. Fluorosilicone also provides greater resistant to fuel, oil, petroleum based fluid, non-polar solvents, acid and alkaline chemicals similar to fluorocarbon rubber (FKM, FPM, Viton). The unique and excellent profermance makes fluorosilicone gasket, seal, o-ring and check valve widely used in chemical, aerospace, automotive and aviation industries for static sealing application. Generally, FVMQ costs nearly five times of silicone rubber. Here are the specific differences between fluorosilicone and silicone that make them applied in different fields.

Fluorosilicone & Silicone Material Properties, Compatibility Difference

Fluorosilicone Material Properties:

Hardness: 30-80 Shore A

Excellent oil resistance, solvents resistance, and chemical resistance

Good weather aging resistance & ozone resistance 

Wacker Fluorosilicone FVMQ R901 Data sheet.pdf

Fluoro Liquid Silicone Rubber (F-LSR) Data Sheet.pdf

Silicone Material Properties:

Hardness: 20-80 Shore A

Temperature resistance: -40-230 °C

Good High & Low temperature environment resistant

Eco-friendly, including food grade, medical grade, common grade & Compatible with FDA or LFGB Regulation

Wacker Silicone R401 Data sheet.pdf

Comparison Between Fluorosilicone and Silicone Application

What is fluorosilicone used for? Fluorosilicone can also be classified into compression molded solid fluorosilicone and injection molded fluoro liquid silicone rubber. Is fluorosilicone conductive? The answer is yes. 

Solid Fluorosilicone Rubber (HCR): It is an ideal material to make fluorosilicone gasket, fluorosilicone seal, fluorosilicone O-ring and fluorosilicone valve applying in jet fuel system, organic solvent environments.

Fluoro Liquid Silicone Rubber (F-LSR): F-LSR generally used for solvent and chemically resistant molded intricate parts with close tolerances. 

Conductive Fluorosilicone: Fluorosilicone can be conductive by filling with nickel plated graphite particle, passivated silver plated aluminum particle or silver plated aluminum particle. Conductive fluorosilicone materials are often employed in some fields where EMI/RFI shielding, environmental sealing, and degrading prevention when comes into contact with corrosive chemicals, fuels are a requirement. 

Silicone rubber material has wide application in various fields. It is the best choice material for the medical industry because of its properties. Silicone material are usually chosen to make seals for automotives and medical devices, hydraulic seals, and check valves, like umbrella valve, duckbill valve and other medical parts for ventilators and feeding devices.

Fluorosilicone Seal & Gasket & O-Ring & Valve 

Due to limited physical strength & low abrasion resistance, fluorosilicone will be perfect in static sealing applications but not in dynamic sealing. Fluorosilicone Seal & Gasket & O-Ring & Valve will be found in broad temperature range environments, petroleum oil application and chlorinated solvents environment.

Common fluorosilicone sealing parts include:

Fluorosilicone Seal: It is a general term includeing all parts to prevents fluid/air leakage fluids or maintains pressure.

Fluorosilicone Gasket: It offers a flexible seal between two joined components, providing not only sealing function but also vibration control.

Fluorosilicone O-Ring: It usually seated within a groove on one or both of the joined parts, where they block the escape of air and fluids by filling in the space between coupled components.

Fluorosilicone Valve: It contains fluorosilicone umbrella valve and FVMQ duckbill check valve, which as seal valve in different application.