Rulon (plastic)

Rulon is the trade name for a family of PTFE plastics produced by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics. Rulon plastics are known for their low coefficient of friction, excellent abrasion resistance, wide range of operating temperatures, and chemical inertness. Common applications for Rulon include seals, piston rings, bearings, and electrical insulation.

History

Rulon was produced by Dixon Industries Corporation in 1952.cite web | title = Rulon | publisher = San Diego Plastics, Inc. | url = http://www.sdplastics.com/rulon.html | accessdate = 2008-01-23.] This first type of Rulon was dubbed "Rulon A" (which was later replaced with type AR). Dixon was then bought by the Furon company. Furon was then bought by Norton Performance Plastics, which finally was purchased by Saint-Gobain.

Properties and types

There are many different types of Rulon produced for specific applications. These include:cite web | title = High Performance Fluoropolymer Materials | publisher = Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation | date = 2005 | url = http://www.rulon-meldin.com/Media/Documents/S0000000000000001016/RulonFluoropolymerMaterials.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2008-01-22]

*Rulon A, obsolete
*Rulon AR, maroon, used for seals & stronger than Rulon LR
*Rulon LR, has low deformation characteristics
*Rulon J, gold, polymer filled for more abrasion resistance and softer mating surface
*Rulon 641, white, FDA compliant
*Rulon W2, used in fresh water applications
*Rulon 123, FDA compliant with low and consistent friction characteristics
*Rulon 488, inorganic filler used for compatibility with most surfaces
*Rulon 957, green speckled, bearing grade with noise dampening characteristics
*Rulon XL, tan, low friction; suitable for aluminum; excellent outgassing characteristics for use in vacuums
*Rulon F, green, polymer filled with excellent anti-abrasion characteristics
*Rulon 142, aqua, low deformation material for used in linear bearings and slides
*Rulon 945, black, very low deformation characteristics for use in high heat and impact applications
*Rulon 1045, gold, highly elastic and moderately deformable for use as bearings, rings and seals
*Rulon 1337, tan, FDA compliant with low coefficient of friction and excellent chemical resistance
*Rulon 1410, gold, highly elastic
*Rulon 1439, white, FDA compliant for use in submerged applications with low wear characteristics

Rulon A has a 1000 fold increase in wear resistance as compared to TFE. However, it machines much like TFE. It can also be molded, extruded, skived, stamped, and hot and cold formed. Below is a table of properties pertaining to Rulon AR, but note that the other types of Rulon have similar properties.

References