Gaskets

A spirally wound gasket according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing strip has a small moisture content during removal from a forming sheet on which the sealing strips or layers are formed.

A spirally wound gasket according to any preceding claim, wherein the proportion of CEV is at least 30% w/w of the sealing strip.

A spirally wound gasket according to any preceding claim, wherein the level of CEV falls within the range 25-80% w/w of the sealing strip

A spirally wound gasket according to any preceding claim, wherein the chemically exfoliated vermiculite component of the present invention includes sufficient dry CEV, to provide a wet sealing layer dough with a reduced water content which is capable of being dried before substantial skinning has occurred.

A spirally wound gasket comprising a sealing strip wound into a spiral and a support strip wound into a spiral in such a manner that the spiral of the sealing strip is formed interposed between the coils of the supporting strip, the sealing strip comprising a resilient material, the resilient material comprising a CEV component in a proportion of at least 25% w/w of the sealing strip, the said CEV component being at least partially derived from dry CEV, wherein the sealing strip has a moisture level of between 3-20% w/w of the sealing strip resilient material during winding into the said gasket.

A spirally wound gasket according to any preceding claim, wherein the sealing strip comprises at least 80% resilient material.

A gasket or method according to any preceding claim, wherein the CEV is mixed with a suitable plate-like filling agent such as thermally exfoliated vermiculite (TEV).

A gasket as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.

A method of making a gasket as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.