Following the identification of health hazards associated with exposure to asbestos, restrictive legislation has been introduced in most countries throughout the developed world. This legislation threatens to make the already undesirable manufacture and use of asbestos products uneconomic, if permitted at all.
In response to the resulting demands from the automotive industry for alternatives to asbestos gaskets, new materials, gasket designs and manufacturing processes have been developed offering several potential routes for the development of functional non asbestos gaskets. These alternatives are reviewed and their suitability for soft, exhaust system and cylinder head gasket applications are examined.
