The objective of the research project is to develop flexible sealing materials for air-conditioning systems in stationary and mobile refrigeration technology using carbon dioxide (R744) as a refrigerant by means of targeted surface modification of cost-effective, commercially available elastomeric materials (e.g., CR, NBR, HNBR, EPDM), and thereby make a decisive contribution to the establishment of refrigeration systems using CO₂. The advantage of the surface modification approach is that SMEs manufacturing seals for CO₂ refrigeration systems do not need to use expensive starting materials, such as fully fluorinated materials. Through an additional post-treatment step, suitable seals can be produced using standard sealing materials. Within the research project, a permeation barrier for CO₂ on planar samples as well as on real molded sealing components will be realized by means of gas-phase fluorination (fluorination and optionally oxyfluorination), plasma polymerization under both low-pressure and atmospheric-pressure conditions, and Parylene deposition. Based on the results, a combination of methods and parameters can be derived that exploits synergistic effects with regard to achieving an optimal permeation barrier while simultaneously ensuring high oil resistance and aging resistance for seals.

• Institut für Luft- und Kältetechnik gGmbH, Dresden (ILK)
• Forschungsinstitut für Leder und Kunststoffbahnen gGmbH, Freiberg (FILK)
• Leibniz-Institut für Polymerforschung e.V., Dresden (IPF)

The joint research project is technically supported by a committee consisting of elastomer manufacturers, research institutes (R&D), and coating companies.

Project Schedule

The research project is divided into three phases.