• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.102-108
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• 2015

In this research, we experimentally investigated the sealing performance of elastomeric rotary lip seals for washing machines. In general, NBR is used as a material for elastomeric rotary lip seals in washing machines, but the mixing formula of the rubber material can affect the sealing performance. In this study, we manufactured rotary lip seals using three kinds of NBRs with a different mixing formula, and examined the sealing performance using an acceleration test mode. The results of an SEM investigation into the surfaces of three kinds of specimens showed a much smaller wear volume and better sealing performance for the specimens with smaller particle sizes of mixing composition than for the specimen with the larger. Repeated deformation and recovery by the shaft-to-seal eccentricity on rotation were shown to cause a phase difference in the rubber material, and we measured the recovery ratio to find the influence of this phase difference on the sealing performance. As another method for checking the phase difference, we also measured tan ä, and a lower tan ä was revealed as the recovery ratio increased for each specimen. Specimens with a higher recovery ratio (lower tan ä) were shown to have a better sealing performance. Consequently, specimens with a smaller particle size in the mixing composition had a better sealing performance because they show a higher recovery ratio.