Wire types:
Typically 0.11mm diameter wire is used to form knitted gaskets and the four common wire materials are
Monel
This is an alloy of nickel and copper (similar to ‘silver’ coinage metal). It has excellent resistance to corrosion along with good conductivity and low contact resistance making it the default material of choice for knitted mesh gaskets.
Aluminium
This is used in some applications where there is a requirement for the knitted mesh gasket to be galvanically matched to an aluminium alloy housing
Stainless steel
Stainless steel is sometimes used for its high strength and very high resistance to corrosion. It has lower conductivity and higher contact resistance than the other materials here resulting in appreciably lower shielding performance.
TCS – Tin plated Copper clad Steel
This wire type combines the high conductivity and low contact resistance of the tin plate copper outer layers with the high strength of the steel core. It has the best shielding performance of the four materials but can be prone to corrosion in damp/humid environments.
Elastomer cores
Knitted mesh gaskets can be produced based on a very wide range of elastomer core materials but the main material types are listed below:
Silicone elastomer
Silicone rubber sponge
Neoprene or synthetic elastomer
Neoprene or synthetic elastomer sponge
TPE (thermoplastic elastomers)
Silicones have outstanding high/low temperature resistance and ageing characteristics. Neoprene’s and equivalent synthetic elastomers (e.g. to specification AMS 3222) have excellent resistance to oils, fuels and similar contaminants.
Cross-sections
A wide range of cross-sections are available
Round –channel mounting
Square/rectangular – surface or channel mounting
‘P’ / Tadpole – tail used to secure the gasket section by means of a clamping strip
Dumbbell – enhanced performance from double section
Cross-sectional sizes range from approximately 1.5mm up to over 20mm depending on the exact section type