Grafenberg, Germany -- Rampf Giessharze, which makes polyurethane and epoxy resin systems and silicones, is introducing RAKU-PUR 31-3173, a material for foam gaskets that meets the requirements of the food industry in Germany and Europe.
The polyurethane is suitable for use as a lid-sealing material for containers that come into contact with food at room temperature for short periods and without heating, said Rampf. The company said this new gasket is aimed at manufacturers of canisters, drums and IBC containers for aqueous, alcoholic, fatty and dry goods.
"The RAKU-PUR 31-3173 foam gasket meets the requirements of Art. 3 Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 and sections 30 and 31(1) of the German Food and Feed Code (LFGB) in conjunction with Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011," explained Dr Ulrich Nehring from the Institut Nehring laboratory for foodstuffs, consumer goods and the environment, in his test report.
Rampf sees the new food contact material as a valuable addition to its portfolio of foam gaskets.
A two-component soft integral foam, RAKU-PUR 31-3173 boasts "two particularly impressive properties," said the supplier: its compression set of just two percent and its low water absorption rate of around 5.5 percent.
After 24-h at 50-percent deformation and 50° or 70°C, the cured foam gasket returns to its original shape with only two percent shrinkage. To test its water absorption, the two-component soft integral foam was submerged in 10 cm of water for 24 h.
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