Despite the many tracts of UK and European legislation hitting the statute books in this litigious age, the industrial engineer may take many characteristics and features of the humble seal for granted. But when it comes to the selection of gaskets and sealing components, the choice of material can have a significant effect on operating performance and cost as well as safety and efficiency. Our story begins in 1938 when a Du Pont researcher investigating refrigerant gases noticed a white substance that had polymerised itself on his equipment. Tests on the mysterious substance revealed some surprising properties. These included the lowest known coefficient of friction, almost complete chemical inertness and extreme temperature resistance.
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