Novus HDS-1 is a superior performance, high dielectric strength compressed sheet material based on a blend of aramid fibre and special additives with a high quality nitrile binder system. It is designed as an insulating material for flanges where excellent sealing performance and good mechanical properties are a requirement. Typical applications include offshore installations, sea water environments, chemical installations and oil refinery pipelines where galvanic corrosion protection is required. The material also finds use on cathodic protection systems and preventing the flow of electrostatic charge beyond the system itself and as an insulator for induction equipment.

The majority of traditional high dielectric strength products are relatively poor seals. HDS-1 utilises a new sheet jointing manufacturing technology to produce a superior sealing sheet material with good handling and cutting characteristics but which, for the first time, has exceptional high levels of electrical resistance. The technology utilises two separate layers of materials specially formulated to prevent the passage of electricity but which also enables it meet the requirements of BS 7531 Grade X, one of the highest sealing standards in the world and the clean air requirements of TA Luft in Germany.

The material is available in either standard kit form (comes complete with a 3 mm HDS1 full face or raised face gasket, 2 x 3 mm insulating HDS1 washers per bolt and two mild steel washers per bolt) or in sheet form measuring 2m x 1.5 m, either 1.5 or 3 mm thick.

When application temperatures exceed the limits of exfoliated graphite, the end user has a recourse to a number of specialist jointing materials which maintain their integrity at temperatures up to 1000æ C.

In addition to the materials resistance to high temperatures, it possesses outstanding chemical resistance making it suitable for applications where many conventional sealing materials are attacked.