Cork is a versatile, natural and economical material for gaskets. Among the first materials to be used for sealing purposes, cork remains a popular sealing material for many industrial, construction, and other applications because of its many useful properties.
Web Seal can recommend the best cork gaskets or cork composite material for your specific sealing application.
Properties of Cork
Environmentally Friendly
A 100% sustainable material, cork is the harvested bark of the cork oak tree, native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa. The harvesting process occurs without cutting down any trees. It is also non-allergenic and a nontoxic substitute for petrochemical-based insulation materials. Cork completely biodegrades and is easily recycled without generating toxic deposits.
While natural cork has a lower temperature threshold than some elastomers (approximately 275°F/135°C maximum – see elastomer properties) and can be susceptible to mold and acids, mixing elastomeric binders with cork offers a much wider range of possibilities for cork gaskets. Composite cork gasket material incorporates a variety of elastomers, designed to offer better heat, solvent and fuel resistance. One of the most popular is cork/neoprene composite but Buna, EPDM, nitrile, silicone, and a variety of other composites are available, including recycled rubber. Composites can be used for everything from low-pressure gasket and seal applications such as lining and facing material to high stress environments in transportation, power generation and other critical applications.