Graphite has been used for centuries, but its role has evolved far beyond pencils and industrial lubricants. Today, flexible graphite plays a critical role in high-performance sealing applications where heat, pressure, and reliability are essential. From early uses in manufacturing cannon balls to modern pressure seal technology used in demanding industries such as power generation, refining, and chemical processing, graphite has become one of the most versatile engineered materials available....

How a Safer Seal Material Replaced Both Asbestos and Silver It seems a little strange that a material first developed to replace something as hazardous as asbestos would later be used to replace a metal as valuable as silver. Odd as it may be, that’s exactly what happened—and it’s a defining chapter in the evolution of high-pressure sealing. Flexible graphite seals and gaskets first emerged in the late 1970s as industries moved away from asbestos-containing materials. At the time, the focus...