Can Fluorohydrocarbon Elastomers Used in Oilfield Service Be Improved by Varying Carbon Black Type?

ABSTRACT Elastomers for oilfield seals are often specified by hardness and generic type. Experienced compounders recognize that hardness of a seal can be achieved by many different formulations. The filler type and amount plus the cure system in these formulations have the most profound influence on the hardness. Carbon black and finely divided minerals are the most common fillers used in elastomer compounding. This investigation evaluated the influence of the effect of carbon black particle size in fluorohydrocarbon formulations. Several fluorohydrocarbon compounds were formulated with carbon black types ranging from N330 to N990. These compounds were aged by exposure to aqueous hydrocarbon and gaseous fluids, which were intended to simulate oilfield environments. Changes in the physical properties of these compounds were determined and tabulated for comparison. CONCLUSIONS