Fluorocarbon
(VITON® / FKM)

What is FKM / VITON®

• FKM (also commonly known by the brand name VITON®) is a type of fluoroelastomer / fluorocarbon rubber.
• Fluorocarbons are widely adopted in industry because they combine outstanding thermal, chemical, and environmental resistance with good mechanical performance — making them one of the most versatile sealing elastomers available.

Key Strengths & Performance Benefits

• High-temperature resistance — FKM is known for its ability to operate reliably at elevated temperatures.
• Chemical and fluid resistance — It resists a wide range of media including mineral oils, fuels, hydraulic fluids, many solvents, aromatics, and other aggressive chemicals.
• Low gas permeability — Compared to many elastomers, fluorocarbon has very low gas permeability, enhancing its sealing reliability especially in pressurised or gas-tight applications.
• Low compression set and durable mechanical properties — This helps maintain seal integrity over long periods and repeated use, reducing the risk of leaks or failures due to material fatigue.
• Resistance to environmental ageing — FKM resists ozone, oxygen, weathering, and UV exposure, making it suitable not only for industrial fluids but for outdoor or exposed applications too.

Because of this combination of properties, FKM is often considered a “universal” sealing material — suitable for a wide variety of high-demand environments.

Common Grades & Variants

FKM is available in a number of grades and formulations, each optimized for different operating conditions:

FKM compounds are generally marked under the industry standard designation ASTM D1418 = “FKM”.

They are also available in a variety of colours (not just standard black), including Brown, Green, Blue, Purple, White, Yellow, Red, depending on customer needs.

Typical Applications

Due to its versatility, FKM is used in many sectors and seal types, including:

• O-rings, cord seals, gaskets
• Hydraulic seals, oil seals, bonded seals, extruded cord
• Static and dynamic seals across automotive, aerospace, oil & gas, chemical processing, food/pharmaceutical (with FDA-approved compounds) industries
• Fuel systems, hydraulic systems, engines, transmission systems — especially where high temperatures, fuels or aggressive chemicals are present.

The high fluorine grades (e.g. GF, Type B) perform especially well in high-octane and oxygenated fuel blends (e.g. ethanol/methanol-blended gasoline), where lower fluorine materials might swell or degrade.

Also, specialized grades such as “Metal Detectable / FDA” FKM exist for food, pharmaceutical and hygiene-sensitive environments — reducing contamination risk, and compliant with relevant regulatory standards (e.g. FDA 21 CFR 177.2600).

Why Choose FKM / VITON®

• Because of its rare combination of thermal stability, chemical resistance, mechanical robustness, and environmental resistance, FKM remains among the most widely used elastomers for demanding sealing tasks.
• Its broad compatibility — especially with oils, fuels, hydraulic fluids, solvents and many chemicals — makes it a go-to choice for “universal” sealing needs where durability and reliability are critical.
• With its variety of grades and compound options, FKM can be tailored — whether you need general-purpose seals, low-temperature performance, FDA-grade for food/pharma, or chemical-resistant “extreme service” compounds — giving flexibility to match application demands.

Recommendations for Specifying FKM

1. Choose the right grade — Standard A-type for general use; Type B/F/ETP for chemical or fuel-rich applications; LT-variants for low-temperature operation; FDA/metal-detectable for food/pharma.
2. Check chemical compatibility — For aggressive media (amines, ketones, certain acids), verify with compatibility charts; where FKM is unsuitable, consider alternative elastomers.
3. Consider application conditions — Take into account temperature extremes (both high and low), static vs dynamic sealing, presence of gases or solvents, contact with fuels or lubricants, and regulatory requirements.
4. Request relevant data sheets — For each grade (e.g. V75, V90, ETP, etc.), obtain the technical data sheets to confirm operating temperature range, hardness, fluid resistance, and mechanical properties.

FKM is not generally recommended for ketones, amines, or continuous hot water/steam unless specialist grades are used.

Looking for an alternative style?  Click here to contact our Sales team.

Please note – Fluorocarbons are not recommended for exposure to ketones, amines, low molecular weight esters and ethers, nitro hydrocarbons, hot hydrofluoric or chlorosulfonic acids, or Skydrol® fluids. They are also not recommended for situations requiring good low temperature flexibility.

Downloads

Selecting the Correct Type of Viton

ES REF	Colour	Temp Range	Hardness	Notes	Data Sheet
FKM60	BLACK	-20°C to + 205°C	60	For General use offering universal chemical resistance.	FKM60
FKM70	BLACK	-20⁰C to +205⁰C	70	For General use offering universal chemical resistance.	FKM70
FKM75	BLACK	-20⁰C to +205⁰C	75	For General use offering universal chemical resistance.	FKM75
FKM75 (bonded seals)	BLACK	-20⁰C to +205⁰C	75	FKM 75 for Bonded seals.	FKM75 (Bonded Seals)
FKM75 Extruded Cord	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C	75	FKM 75 for extruded cord.	FKM75 (extruded cord)
FKM75X ETP-S / EXTREME	BLACK	-25°C to +215°C continuous	75	Developed for severe service applications, this compound has the broadest of any Fluoroelastomer. It fills the performance gap between normal Fluoroelastomers and Perfluoroelastomers. Very good resistance to strong bases, amines and polar solvents.	FKM75X ETP-S / EXTREME
FKM75X FDA ETP-S / EXTREME	BLACK	-20°C to +210°C continuous	75	Developed for severe service applications, this compound has the broadest fluid resistance of any other Fluoroelastomer.  It complies with FDA regulation 21 CFR 177 2600 for contact with foodstuffs. Very good resistance to strong bases, amines and polar solvents.	FKM75X FDA ETP-S / EXTREME
FKM90	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C	90	General use offering universal chemical resistance.	FKM90
FKM90 (extruded cord)	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C	90	FKM 90 for extruded cord.	FKM90 (extruded cord)
FKM90 Type B	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C	90	Can meet ASTM D2000 M3HK910 A1-10 B37 EF31 Z1 (Z1= B TYPE)	FKM90 Type B
V60 GR	GREEN	-20°C to 205°C	60	Genuine DuPont® polymer	V60 GR
V60 R	RED	-20°C to 205°C	60	Genuine DuPont® polymer	V60 R
V60 WH	WHITE	-20°C to 205°C	60	Genuine DuPont® polymer	V60 WH
V70	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C continuous (-30°C to 225°C peak)	70	Genuine DuPont® polymer	V70
V70BLMD Metal Detectable	BLUE	-15°C to +200°C	70	Developed to support use of Fluoroelastomer in food processing applications. Metal detectable elastomer O Rings help pharmaceutical and food manufacturers to reduce the risk of product contamination by early detection and containment of contamination. The material is electrically conductive. Fragments as small as 2mm can be identified by in-line metal detection.	V70BLMD
V70BLMDFDA	BLUE	-15°C to +200°C	70	Developed to support use of Fluoroelastomer in food processing applications. Metal detectable elastomer O Rings help pharmaceutical and food manufacturers to reduce the risk of product contamination by early detection and containment of contamination. The material is electrically conductive. Fragments as small as 2mm can be identified by in-line metal detection equipment. Formulated using only those ingredients determined by the United States Ferderal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be in accordance with Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 (CFR21), Section 177.2600.	V70BLMD-FDA.pdf
V75	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C continuous (-30°C to 225°C peak)	75	Genuine DuPont® polymer	V75
V75 (brown)	BROWN	-20°C to 205°C	75	Genuine DuPont® polymer	V75 (brown)
V75 FDA	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C	75	Food quality. Complies With FDA Regulation 21 CFR177.1550	V75 FDA
V75 Type B	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C	75	Generally has 67% flourine content and are commonly used in applications where resistance to flex fuels containing alcohol or MTBR are required.	V75 Type B
V75 GF	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C	75	High fluorine content. Improved fuel and solvent resistance.	V75 GF
V75 GFLT	BLACK	-40°C to 205°C	75	High fluorine content. Low Temperature type. Exhibits significantly improved low temperature flex characteristics compared to standard types of fluoroelastomer	V75 GFLT
V75 GLT	BLACK	-40°C to 205°C continuous (225°C peak)	75	Low Temperature type. Exhibits significantly improved low temperature flex characteristics compared to standard types of fluoroelastomer. Not suitable for flex fuels.	V75 GLT
V75 PC	BLACK	-20°C to 205°C continuous (-30°C to 225°C peaks)	75	Peroxide cured.	V75 PC
V75USP Class VI FDA	BLACK	-15°C to +200°C	75	Developed to support use of these Fluoroelastomers in Pharmaceutical processing and food processing applications. The desirable traits of cleanliness, low odour index are exhibited by this compound so that our customers receive an FKM product that leads the industry in cleanliness and purity. USP Class VI 121°C USP31, NF26, 2008 Animal Derivative Ingredient Free FDA CFR21 177.2600 EC 1935/2004	V75USP CLASS VI FDA (BLACK)
V90 AED GLT	BLACK	-40°C to +250°C (Static) -30°C to +220°C (Dynamic)	90	Viton® 90 Anti-Explosive Decompression, GLT Type. NORSOK M-710 Approved. AED/RGD Approval. RGD NACE TM0297 APPROVAL.	V90 AED GLT
V90 AED Type B	BLACK	-30°C to +250°C (Static) -15°C to +220°C (Dynamic)	90	Viton® 90 Anti-Explosive Decompression, B Type. NORSOK M-710 Approved. Provides low and stable compression set at high temperature.	V90 AED Type B
Viton FEP Encapsulated	BLACK	-20°C to +205°C Short duration to +260°C	85 – 90 Shore A	Encapsulation Material: Dupont Teflon® FEP 160 Fluoropolymer Resin Or Equivalent. Core Material: Genuine Dupont® A-361C Viton® Or Equivalent. Manufactured to meet the requirements of; AS568/BS1806 tolerance specifications.	FEP Encapsulated Viton
Viton PFA Encapsulated	BLACK	-20°C to +205°C Short duration to +260°C	85 – 90 Shore A	Encapsulation Material: Dupont Teflon® PFA350 Fluoropolymer Resin Or Equivalent Core Material: Genuine Dupont® A-361C Viton® Or Equivalent. Manufactured to meet the requirements of; AS568/BS1806 tolerance specifications.	PFA Encapsulated Viton