How to choose a seal material by application
Selecting the right elastomer is the single biggest factor in seal life. The two questions that decide most of the answer are what fluid the seal contacts and how hot it gets. Petroleum oils and fuels call for nitrile (NBR) for everyday service or fluorocarbon (FKM) when heat, fuel aromatics or ozone are present. Water, steam and glycol point to EPDM — but EPDM must never see oil. Aggressive chemicals, solvents and amines demand a perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) for near-universal resistance.
Temperature then acts as a gate. Above roughly 150°C you move into FKM territory; beyond 230°C only FFKM and silicone (VMQ) keep their properties. Industry and seal type refine the choice — medical and food applications favour physiologically inert silicone, while oilfield sour gas service leans on Aflas (FEPM). This finder applies those rules to your answers and returns the best-fit compound; for borderline cases or custom geometries, send the spec to our engineers for validation and a quote.