O-rings provide a vital role across many applications by preventing gases and fluids from leaking, and you'll find them manufactured in a wide range of materials. This means you have the opportunity to choose O-rings made from the best material to meet your needs. Each option offers its own pros and cons to meet different requirements, and yet many find that silicone O-rings remain the best way to go.

Here are just five reasons why.

1. Resistant to Extreme Temperatures

Some materials can cope well with extreme heat, while others can work well with extreme cold. However, O-rings often need to withstand both extremes, and silicone is ideal for such applications. Silicone O-rings are able to withstand very low temperatures and very high temperatures without degrading, even when temperatures vary quickly and frequently. In fact, this is one of the most common reasons why silicone is chosen instead of another O-ring material.

2. Resilient Against Harmful Compounds

Silicone O-rings are able to resist more than just extreme temperatures. They should also prove resilient against things like acids, chemicals and oils, and they can even handle being exposed to UV rays and ozone without becoming damaged. This is why they are often preferred for applications where harmful compounds may be encountered.

3. Extremely Flexible

Even when temperatures get extremely low, silicone O-rings remain flexible. As such, they are very good at dealing with high compressive forces. If your O-rings will need to handle high pressures on a regular basis, silicone is going to be one of the best choices you can make.

4. Available in Almost Any Colour

Silicone O-rings can be matched to any Pantone or RAL colour. In fact, they can even be made translucent or glow in the dark. Better yet, the colour of silicone you choose for your O-rings will not affect their capabilities. While this is sometimes useful simply for creating a certain aesthetic, it also allows you to easily colour-code your O-rings. If someone needs to identify exactly what one is being used for, all it will take is a quick glance.

5. Non-Toxic Biocompatibility

In some cases, O-rings will need to offer non-toxic biocompatibility to ensure they can be used in medical equipment. Common medical applications include pumps, IV parts, ventilators, implants and feeding devices, and the need for O-rings for such applications is increasing as medical devices become smaller and smaller. Microminiature silicone O-rings are since they are non-toxic and biocompatible.

For more information on O-rings, contact a professional near you.