The future of hydraulic materials

27 October, 2017

The future of hydraulic materials should see more and more hard wearing, corrosion resistant coatings developed – particularly with a view to being kind to the environment – both in the way that they are produced and disposed of, and also by the benefit of their longevity on the field.

Seals

As hydraulic materials and coatings have become more advanced and robust with a greater longevity of piston rods, so seals have had to improve to keep up with this. Specialised seals made from materials such as Zurcon and PTFE are especially durable and long lasting.

Extreme high and low temperatures have driven the development of seals made from materials like Viton, that benefits from an extremely high temperature resistance; and polyurethane that is less likely to become brittle in extremely low, sub-zero temperatures. Coming years will see a number of new developments in rubberised materials that are increasingly durable and resistant.

Hydraulic fluids and accumulators

New hydraulic fluids are regularly being developed with a particular push towards sustainability and recyclability. However, a number of these special synthetic oils can be damaging to seals and other parts such as bladder accumulators. The oil can be particularly aggressive, causing the usually used nitrile rubber to swell and deteriorate. Bladder accumulators have been developed using ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber which has a greater resistance to the harshness of the oil.

New materials are constantly being developed and tested throughout the industry. The next ten years is likely to see stronger steels that are easier to work with, more resistant coatings, more durable materials for seals and other parts. It is also vital that materials will be produced that have a lower environmental impact.

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