Iranian Firm Uses Nanotechnology to Improve Performance of Pipes, Sealing Washers for Fittings
Polymer or rubber washers (gaskets) are used to prevent water leakage in pipes which are connected to each other. A gasket is a mechanical seal designed to prevent leakage in the space between two pipes that is under air or water pressure.
Gaskets are usually produced by cutting materials and in the form of sheets in various types of cardboard, rubber, silicone, metal, felt, fiberglass or polymer, and strength, elasticity and thermal and chemical stability are among the important parameters in choosing a suitable gasket.
In order to improve these properties, an Iranian technological company used nanoparticles in production of gaskets, and application of nanoparticles improved wear properties, increased strength, and reduced elongation at the point of rupture.
Meanwhile, due to having a high surface-to-volume ratio, nanoparticles provide a higher active surface and a larger volume of them is involved in the background structure, and therefore, they show less swelling properties in different fluids.
In a relevant development earlier this year, Iranian researchers at a knowledge-based company manufactured 500 products in the field of pipes and fittings by using cubic and polyhedral nanoparticles.
Mehdi Abbasi Nourabadi, the managing-director of the knowledge-based company, explained that his company has so far supplied nearly 500 products in the field of pipes and fittings to different industries, adding, “They can be used in various industries like construction, water supply companies, agricultural industry and telecommunications.”
“We have increased the impact strength in pipes and fitting products by adding cubic and polyhedral nanoparticles with dimensions less than 100 nm to the UPVC polymer-based material,” he said.
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