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VMQ (Silicone) O-rings

-60 °C to 200 °C

VMQ silicone O-rings have an extreme temperature range, excellent biocompatibility and flexibility at low temperatures. For food and medical use, compounds conforming to FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 are specified — silicone alone does not guarantee it; the specific compound decides.

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Temperature and chemical compatibility

Temperature and chemical compatibility

Temperature range: -60 °C to +200 °C (short-term up to +230 °C).

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Typical applications: food industry, medical and pharmaceutical, electrical-insulation seals, aviation at low temperatures, cosmetics.

VMQ (Silicone)

Each elastomer has different mechanical and chemical properties.

VMQ (Silicone) — properties and applications

VMQ (silicone) is the elastomer with the widest temperature range of all the O-ring materials we offer: it works reliably from −60 to +200 °C (briefly up to +230 °C) and its usual hardness is around 70 ShA. The material keeps its flexibility even at the extremes of this range, which makes it a sure choice where other materials already stiffen or soften. It's physiologically inert, with no taste or smell, and therefore suitable for food processing and medicine — food-safe compounds meet, for example, FDA 21 CFR 177.2600.

VMQ O-rings resist water, dry hot and cold air alike, ozone, UV and many polar media well, and they excel in electrical-insulation properties. It's precisely the exceptional temperature range and the physiological inertness that are the reasons silicone is deployed in food processing, medicine and anywhere hot or very cold air is at work. For contact with food, though, what's decisive is whether the specific compound carries the relevant certification — silicone on its own doesn't automatically guarantee it.

Watch the limits, though. VMQ isn't suitable for high-pressure steam (silicone hydrolyses), for permanent contact with mineral oils and fuels, or for dynamic or abrasive applications, because it has low mechanical strength and poor resistance to tearing and wear. On moving joints it therefore wears out quickly — there, choose FKM; for static seals in contact with fuels and oils across a wide temperature range, including low temperatures, choose fluorosilicone (FVMQ).

Typical uses are found in food processing and medicine, in static seals across a wide temperature range, in electrical-insulation applications and anywhere hot air is at work. Compared with the other materials, VMQ's strong suit is its temperature range and inertness, and its weak point is mechanical resistance. Choose a silicone O-ring, then, when you need to handle extreme temperatures and contact with food in static joints — not for moving seals or permanent contact with oils.

Browse all O-rings across every material.

O-ring material comparison

Indicative values for a quick comparison. Temperature ranges are conservative (continuous service); for a specific medium always verify compatibility or consult a technician.

MaterialTemperature rangeMineral oilWaterAcidFuelHardness (Sh A)Relative price (vs NBR)
NBR-30 – 100 °C Excellent Limited Avoid Excellent70 Sh A1.0×
HNBR-30 – 150 °C Excellent Limited Avoid Excellent75 Sh A3.0×
FKM-20 – 200 °C Excellent Limited Excellent Excellent75 Sh A5.0×
FFKM-20 – 260 °C Excellent Excellent Excellent Excellent75 Sh A50.0×
EPDM-40 – 130 °C Unsafe Excellent Excellent Unsafe70 Sh A1.2×
VMQ — your selection-60 – 200 °C Avoid Excellent Avoid Avoid70 Sh A3.5×
PU-40 – 80 °C Excellent Limited Avoid Limited90 Sh A2.0×

Frequently asked questions about VMQ (Silicone)

Are silicone (VMQ) O-rings suitable for contact with food?
Silicone (VMQ) is physiologically inert and is often used in food processing and medicine. For direct contact with food, though, what's decisive is whether the specific compound meets the relevant standard, for example FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 — "silicone" on its own doesn't yet guarantee food suitability. If you need a ring covered by a food-contact standard, contact Filip and he'll supply the available documentation for a suitable compound.
Why shouldn't a silicone O-ring be used on a dynamic seal?
Compared with NBR or FKM, VMQ has low mechanical strength and poor resistance to wear and tearing, so on moving joints (pistons, shafts) it wears out quickly. Silicone is the choice for static seals across a wide temperature range. If you need a moving seal at higher temperatures, consider FKM or HNBR; FVMQ has similarly poor mechanical resistance to silicone and is not suited to dynamic seals.
What is the temperature range of a silicone O-ring?
VMQ has one of the widest temperature ranges among elastomers: it works reliably from −60 to +200 °C and will briefly tolerate more. It keeps its flexibility even in freezing conditions, where other materials stiffen. Beware of high-pressure steam — silicone hydrolyses, so it isn't suitable for it; EPDM is the right choice there.

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