3M™ Silicon Carbide Seal Rings for Rotary Unions

Built to Withstand Stress
3M™ Silicon Carbide Seal Rings for Rotary Unions effectively handle the pressure that comes from fluid transfers to rotating outlets. Rotary unions are built to handle high temperatures, pressures and speeds. Our 3M silicon carbide seal rings function well because of their low specific density (2.80 - 3.20 g/cm3 depending on the material grade). Thanks to the low density of the seal rings, speeds of up to 50,000 RPM can be achieved. Our seal rings also exhibit high mechanical strength and high stiffness.

Durable Under Extreme Conditions
Our silicon carbide material offers tribological performance under high load, including pressure, sliding speed and temperature. Components manufactured from silicon carbide exhibit long lasting service due to its high resistance to wear, resistance to corrosion in aggressive media and thermal shock resistance with low distortion under thermal loads.

The Differences among Silicon Carbide Grades
3M offers four grades of silicon carbide in this product, each exhibiting various properties. Differences are described below:

The all-purpose grade
3M™ Silicon Carbide Grade F 
Good chemical resistance, low specific density, high hardness and wear resistance, outstanding thermal conductivity properties and resistance to fluctuations in temperature. 3M silicon carbide grade F combines all these specific advantages of sintered silicon carbide, particularly for bearings and seals for use in pumps.

The corrosion-resistant grade
3M™ Silicon Carbide Grade C 
Resistance to corrosion is a particular problem where aggressive chemicals or hot water are being transferred, e.g. by circulating pumps. 3M silicon carbide grade C has proved highly effective in corrosive environments.

The tribological grades
3M™ Silicon Carbide Grade P and Grade G 
Improved dry run and mixed friction properties prove especially valuable in sliding and friction systems.

About 3M Advanced Ceramics
3M advanced ceramic products are manufactured at ISO 9001 and 14001 certified facilities. Our manufacturing processes are optimized for quality, efficiency and consistency – helping ensure reliable and repeatable product performance. We have more than 85 years of experience in designing and manufacturing cutting-edge ceramic solutions, and we continually work to develop new applications for ceramic materials in cooperation with our customers and with research institutions.