Material Selection Guide
How To Choose the Right Elastomer
Selecting the correct sealing material begins with understanding the media, temperature range, pressure, and motion profile that the seal must withstand. Start by mapping operating conditions, then match those requirements to elastomer families with compatible performance envelopes.
Consider regulatory obligations (FDA, USP, NSF), reliability targets, maintenance windows, and any installation constraints. The table below highlights core attributes to help you narrow the field before engaging Garlast engineers for fine tuning.
Key Evaluation Criteria
- Chemical compatibility with process media and cleaning agents
- Continuous and peak temperature exposure
- Required regulatory or cleanliness certifications
- Compression set and resilience over service life
- Dynamic vs. static sealing configuration
- Hardware design: groove dimensions, surface finish, tolerance stack-up
Material Comparison Snapshot
| Material | Temp Range (°C) | Chemical Resistance | Common Applications | Certifications Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garlast® FFKM | -42 to +316* | Outstanding (acids, bases, solvents, plasmas, strong oxidants) | Semiconductors, chemical processing, aerospace, oil & gas, food & pharmaceutical | USP Class VI, FDA 21 CFR, SEMI F57 |
| Garlast® 1075/1065/1090/1095 (1075 vs Kalrez® 2035) | -15 to +230 | Excellent (wide range) | General chemical processing | — |
| Garlast® 2075/2090/2175 (2075 vs Kalrez® 4079) | -15 to +316 | Excellent (high temp) | High temperature applications | — |
| Garlast® 3075/3090 (3075 vs Kalrez® 7375) | -15 to +300 | Excellent (hot water & steam) | Steam, CIP/SIP, water vapor service | — |
| Garlast® 4075 (vs Kalrez® 6221) | -15 to +230 | Excellent (FDA compliant) | Food & pharmaceutical | FDA 21 CFR |
| Garlast® 6075 (vs Kalrez® 1050LF) | -15 to +230 | Excellent (high-temperature amines) | Amine-rich chemical processing | — |
| Garlast® 6378 (vs Kalrez® 6375) | -15 to +275 | Excellent (broad chemical resistance) | High-temperature general chemical processing | — |
| Garlast® 6091 (vs Kalrez® 0090) | -15 to +230 | Excellent (EDR / explosion-decompression) | Downhole oil & gas, rapid decompression | — |
| Garlast® 7080 / 7092 (vs Kalrez® 7075 / 7090) | -15 to +325 | Excellent (maximum service temperature) | Extreme high-temperature sealing | — |
| Garlast® 9075 (vs Kalrez® 0040) | -42 to +230 | Excellent (low temp) | Cryogenic applications | — |
| FKM (Fluoroelastomer) | -20 to +200 | Excellent (fuels, oils, many solvents) | Automotive powertrain, oil & gas, general industry | ASTM D2000, FDA grades available |
| HNBR | -40 to +150 | Very Good (fuel blends, ozone, hot oils) | Automotive driveline, oilfield, industrial machinery | OEM specifications, SAE |
| EPDM | -50 to +150 | Excellent (steam, water, polar fluids) | Food & beverage, life sciences, HVAC, water treatment | FDA 21 CFR, 3-A, NSF/ANSI 61 |
| Silicone | -60 to +200 | Good (dry heat, ozone, limited fuel resistance) | Medical devices, electronics, extreme cold environments | USP Class VI, ISO 10993, FDA |
| PTFE & Blends | -200 to +260 | Inert to nearly all chemicals | High-purity fluids, cryogenic applications, valve seats | FDA, USP Class VI, NSF |
* Temperature range varies by Garlast® grade. See the comparison tables below for detailed grade specifications.
Garlast® FFKM Mechanical Properties Comparison
Compare mechanical properties across all Garlast® FFKM grades. PDF benchmark grades include the comparable Kalrez® reference below each grade name.
| Category | Grade | Temperature Range (°C) | Hardness (Shore A) | 100% Modulus (MPa) | Tensile Strength (MPa) | Elongation at Break (%) | Compression Set (%)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 230°C Grades | 1075 vs Kalrez® 2035 |
-15 to +230 | 76 | 15.0 | 22.1 | 139 | 23 |
| 1065 | -15 to +230 | 65 | 3.8 | 7.8 | 179 | 30 | |
| 1090 | -15 to +230 | 93 | — | 19.0 | 100 | 30 | |
| 1095 | -15 to +230 | 95 | — | 22.1 | 81 | 30 | |
| 316°C Grades | 2075 vs Kalrez® 4079 |
-15 to +316 | 74 | 9.3 | 14.7 | 177 | 19 |
| 2090 | -15 to +316 | 87 | 11.8 | 15.6 | 123 | 35 | |
| 2175 | -15 to +316 | 75 | 9.8 | 16.5 | 160 | 25 | |
| 300°C Water/Vapor | 3075 vs Kalrez® 7375 |
-15 to +300 | 76 | 12.5 | 16.4 | 144 | 25 |
| 3090 | -15 to +300 | 92 | 15.8 | 17.6 | 111 | 23 | |
| 275°C Grades | 6378 vs Kalrez® 6375 |
-15 to +275 | 76 | 11.6 | 15.8 | 129 | 15 |
| 325°C Grades | 7080 vs Kalrez® 7075 |
-15 to +325 | 80 | 12.5 | 17 | 153 | 14 |
| 7092 vs Kalrez® 7090 |
-15 to +325 | 90 | 12.5 | 17 | 153 | 14 | |
| Specialty Grades | 4075 vs Kalrez® 6221 |
-15 to +230 | 73 | 7.4 | 13.8 | 175 | 22 |
| 5080 | -20 to +230 | 79 | 8.4 | 12.6 | 165 | 35 | |
| 6075 vs Kalrez® 1050LF |
-15 to +230 | 75 | 6.3 | 21.4 | 194 | 19 | |
| 6091 vs Kalrez® 0090 |
-15 to +230 | 90 | 18.4 | 20.1 | 118 | 26 | |
| 9075 vs Kalrez® 0040 |
-42 to +230 | 75 | 4.3 | 16.7 | 257 | 30 |
* Compression set values measured after 70 h at 204 °C.
Test Methods: Hardness - ASTM D2240; Modulus & Tensile Strength - ASTM D412, 500mm/min; Elongation - ASTM D412, 500mm/min; Compression Set - ASTM D395B, 214-O-RING
Garlast® FFKM Chemical Media Resistance Comparison
Compare chemical resistance ratings across all Garlast® FFKM grades. Grades benchmarked in the Garlast vs Kalrez® guide show the comparable Kalrez® reference below each grade name; dark green cells highlight documented Garlast® advantages.
| Category | Grade | Aromatic/aliphatic hydrocarbon-based oils | Acids | Alkalis | Alcohols | Aldehydes | Amines | Ethers | Esters | Ketones | Superheated water, water vapor | Strong oxidants | Ethylene oxide / propylene oxide | Hot air |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 230°C Grades | 1075 vs Kalrez® 2035 |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Fair | Excellent | Fair |
| 1065 | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Fair | |
| 1090 | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Fair | |
| 1095 | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Fair | |
| 316°C Grades* | 2075 vs Kalrez® 4079 |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Good | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Fair | N/A | Excellent |
| 2090 | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Good | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Fair | N/A | Excellent | |
| 2175 | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Good | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Fair | N/A | Excellent | |
| 300°C Water/Vapor | 3075 vs Kalrez® 7375 |
Excellent | Good | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Good |
| 3090 | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Good | |
| 275°C Grades | 6378 vs Kalrez® 6375 |
Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Good |
| 325°C Grades | 7080 vs Kalrez® 7075 |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Fair | Good | Excellent |
| 7092 vs Kalrez® 7090 |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Fair | Good | Excellent | |
| Specialty Grades | 4075 vs Kalrez® 6221 |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Fair | Excellent | Fair |
| 5080 | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | |
| 6075 vs Kalrez® 1050LF |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Fair | Excellent | Fair | |
| 6091 vs Kalrez® 0090 |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Fair | Excellent | Fair | |
| 9075 vs Kalrez® 0040 |
Excellent | Excellent | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Fair | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Fair | Excellent | Fair |
Rating Legend: (++++ Excellent · +++ Good · ++ Fair · + Poor · × N/A) Excellent Good Fair Poor N/A
* 2075, 2090, and 2175 are not intended for use with amines, superheated water/vapor, or ethylene/propylene oxide.
** 5080 is specifically designed for strong oxidizing media (halogens, thermo-oxidizing acids).
*** 6075 is specifically designed for high-temperature amine resistance (>70°C).
For detailed specifications and application guidance, contact Garlast technical support.
Garlast® vs Kalrez® — Documented Performance Advantages
The following grades show measurable advantages over the comparable Kalrez® reference grade in Garlast internal testing (see Garlast Vs Kalrez comparison guide). Dark green cells in the chemical resistance table above mark the same advantages.
| Garlast® Grade | Comparable Kalrez® Grade | Primary Advantage | Garlast Rating | Application Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1075 | 2035 | Ethylene oxide / propylene oxide | Excellent | Kalrez® 2035 rated not applicable (×) for EtO/PO; Garlast® 1075 rated Excellent |
| 2075 | 4079 | Hot air | Excellent | Superior hot-air aging at 316 °C continuous service |
| 3075 | 7375 | Superheated water & steam | Excellent | Steam and hot-water resistance for 300 °C service |
| 6075 | 1050LF | Amines | Excellent | High-temperature amine environments (>70 °C) |
| 6378 | 6375 | Superheated water & steam | Excellent | Extended chemical envelope to 275 °C with improved steam resistance |
| 7080 | 7075 | Hot air; maximum service temperature | Excellent / 325 °C | Highest continuous-use temperature in the Garlast® line |
| 7092 | 7090 | Hot air; maximum service temperature | Excellent / 325 °C | High-hardness (90 Shore A) grade for extreme temperature sealing |
| 9075 | 0040 | Minimum service temperature | −42 °C | Lowest minimum operating temperature vs comparable Kalrez® grade (−15 °C) |
Chemical resistance scale: ++++ Excellent · +++ Good · ++ Fair · + Poor · × Not applicable. Kalrez® is a registered trademark of DuPont de Nemours, Inc.
Material Selection Workflow
1. Define the Environment
Document continuous and intermittent temperatures, exposure duration, chemical media, and any cleaning protocols (CIP/SIP, solvent flushes, sterilization).
2. Confirm Compliance Needs
Note industry standards, regulatory requirements, and customer specifications that the material must satisfy (e.g., FDA, USP, NSF, NORSOK, SEMI).
3. Match Material Families
Use the comparison table above to shortlist elastomer families that meet chemical and thermal demands. Evaluate trade-offs such as cost, availability, and mechanical properties.
4. Validate In Application
Review groove design, compression, and hardware tolerances. Request Garlast samples or lab testing to confirm compression set, swell, and compatibility before production release.
