Diaphragm & CI Material

Diaphragm materials or cloth-inserted materials are often used for gaskets exposed to harsh weathering, moisture, steam, ozone, or oxidation.  They can be designed for high pressure environments with oils or petroleum media, for hydraulic assemblies where a long life cycle is needed, insulating or isolating applications, abrasive environments, high-strength or heavy structure loading applications, low line pressure applications such as control devices, meters, regulators and pumps, and military applications.

Diaphragm / Cloth-Inserted Gaskets

Seals and gaskets can be molded or die-cut from a variety of cloth-inserted (CI) and diaphragm materials.  Web Seal can recommend the best diaphragm or cloth-inserted material for your specific sealing application.

The material is created by sandwiching a fabric between layers of an elastomer selected for its particular characteristics.  Rubber-coated fabrics combine the pliability of the elastomer with the strength of the inner liner, and can be used for a variety of applications.

cloth-inserted diaphragm imageThe cloth reinforcement adds durability and dimensional stability to the sealing performance.  Fabrics can include cotton, silk and other natural fibers as well as synthetics such as nylon, polyester, flame-resistant Nomex® or fiberglass.  Fabrics can extend product life, reduce deformation, and enhance creep resistance.  Cloth-inserted materials are typically available in 1-, 2-,  3-and 4-ply weights (as a rule, one ply of fabric per 1/16” thickness of gasket material), and various weaves and strengths.

Cloth-inserted and diaphragm materials are available in a variety of elastomers depending on the application.  Buna-N, EPDM, neoprene, and SBR are most common, but nearly any elastomer can be used.

Engineered fabrics have a more complex diaphragm design and material technology for superior barriers in more challenging environments.  FDA-compliance, fabric finishes and anti-wicking are additional considerations.  These fabrics are normally used for more precision applications in pressure regulators, valves and flow control devices.