Expanded PTFE Gasket Material

PTFE gasket material is unbeatable in a wide variety of sealing applications. While it’s known for being famously “non-stick” it’s better described as being soft, slippery and flexible. What’s more, it retains these properties over a temperature range from -430 to 500 °F.

PTFE gasket material is immune to attack by almost every chemical, which helps make PTFE gasket sheet invaluable in a host of chemical processing and handling environments. The only chemicals that seriously challenge it are those containing fluorine and nitric acid.

PTFE Gasket Sheet Material Specifications:

Temperature Range:  -430°F – 500°F
Thickness:  1/32” to 4”
PTFE Gasket Sheet Size:  60” square

PTFE gasket sheet is available as either virgin PTFE or in a number of filled grades. Virgin PTFE can be used in food applications but has one major weakness as a seal material: being soft, it deforms under even relatively low loads.

This tendency to creep is addressed by the filled grades. The most widely used filling is glass, although carbon and to a lesser extent, graphite, are common in PTFE gasket sheet. Glass-filled PTFE has good creep-resistance but loses it’s low friction nature and is quite abrasive, especially at higher concentrations. Carbon-filled PTFE is electrically conductive and has higher wear resistance than the virgin material.

When ordering PTFE gasket sheet, consider how it will be held in place. If the intention is to bond it rather than clamp it, etching is recommended. This chemical process reduces the surface energy of the PTFE so it can be fixed in place with an adhesive.

PTFE gasket material is available in sheets up to 60” square and thicknesses from 1/32” to 4”.