Press release: Freudenberg-NOK introduces new cold-tolerant FKM for processing industry

Material expertise is the foundation of made-to-order sealing solutions for the processing industry. Today, Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies (Freudenberg-NOK) announced that a new FKM (Fluorocarbon) material – 75 FKM 38269 – has been added to its product portfolio. The new material is particularly flexible in extreme cold and broadens Freudenberg-NOK's ability to offer fluorinated sealing materials to customers that remain responsive across a wide range of temperatures.

Seals made of FKM are used throughout the processing industry. In the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, FKM is a good solution for applications with nonpolar solvents, aliphatic compounds, fats and oils. In the food industry, seals made of FKM are used when high temperatures exist or if the operating environment has proven aggressive and unsuitable to other elastomers such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) or HNBR (hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber). FKM is resistant to pure citrus juices and is suitable for contact with dairy products.

The new 75 FKM 38269 serves as the standard material for O-rings and incorporates the above-mentioned characteristics. Thanks to approvals in accordance with FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 and EU Regulation 1935/2004, along with its classification in Class I of the 3-A Sanitary Standards, the material is suited to the food industry worldwide.

In the chemical industry, where FKM is the material of choice, the cold flexibility and wide temperature range of 75 FKM 38269 offers customers a significant advantage.

Another plus for the new material:

Comprehensive studies have shown that 75 FKM 38269 is also well-suited to cleaning processes using CIP (cleaning-in-place) and SIP (sterilization-in-place) procedures. The material has proven to be very stable for long-term static use in both oxidizing and alkaline cleaning and disinfecting agents.