Ozone Cracking Destroyed Their Elastomer Seals in Under 12 Months
How we identified the true root cause and tripled component service life.
Frequent premature failures of outdoor elastomer sealing components.
The seals passed qualification testing but developed severe surface cracking after only 6 to 12 months, causing water ingress, maintenance costs, and reduced reliability.
Investigation Workflow
Material Identification
FTIR spectroscopy identified the failed material as an unsaturated elastomer highly vulnerable to ozone attack.
Degradation Mechanism
Cracks appeared perpendicular to applied strain, a pattern consistent with classical ozone induced degradation.
Improper material selection for an outdoor environment.
Natural rubber was used where long term ozone exposure was inevitable. The material lacked adequate ozone resistance and progressively degraded.
Practical steps based on the investigation.
- Replaced natural rubber with ozone resistant EPDM
- Updated material specifications with ozone exposure requirements
- Added accelerated ozone testing to qualification protocols
- Implemented supplier material verification requirements
Why This Matters
Ozone cracking is common and often misdiagnosed as mechanical fatigue. Correct identification and material selection prevent recurring reliability problems and deliver measurable cost savings.
Technical clarity that supports business decisions.
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