Investigation into the impact of aging temperature on sealing performance for mechanical seal rings composed of diverse materials

• The findings reveal the relationship between temperature and the performance degradation of various commonly used sealing materials, such as cemented carbide, silicon carbide, resin graphite, and antimony-impregnated graphite. • The critical temperatures for thermal stability of different sealing ring materials have been precisely defined, along with their macroscopic behavior at these temperatures. • An innovative approach is proposed that utilizes "sealing ring end-face aperture characteristics and leakage volume" as key indicators for evaluating thermal aging damage in seal rings. • The findings can further advance the development of aging treatment processes for sealing rings of different materials, thereby optimizing sealing performance. As a pivotal component within pump mechanical seal devices, the mechanical seal ring plays a crucial role in preventing liquid or gas leakage. To comprehensively assess the impact of aging temperatures on the sealing performance of these rings, the suitable aging temperature ranges for different materials of mechanical seal rings are explored in this paper. An experimental approach is employed to conduct a series of tests on sealing rings made from various materials, including cemented carbide, silicon carbide, resin graphite, and antimony-impregnated graphite. The experimental procedures encompass inlay, grinding, aging, plane light mirror inspection, and leakage detection. The experimental results reveal a clear trend: as the aging temperature rises, the degree of end - face deformation of the sealing ring gradually intensifies. This deformation reduces the smoothness of the sealing interface, thereby decreasing the contact area between the moving ring and the static ring. Consequently, the leakage of the sealing ring gradually increases, which serves as a significant factor contributing to the deterioration of its sealing performance. Moreover, based on the experimental data, suitable aging temperature ranges have been identified for each of the different mechanical seal ring materials.