Ozone and oxygen
Ozone-resistant materials
Materials that do not degrade on prolonged contact with ozone. Glass, ceramic, PTFE, PVDF, silicone, fluoroelastomer (Viton/FKM) and 316 stainless steel hold up well. Natural rubber, latex and nylon do not. Everything in an ozone device's gas path has to be chosen this way.
Also called ozone-safe materials, ozone compatible materials
Why it is a design constraint, not a detail
Ozone oxidises whatever it touches, including the machine carrying it. Unsuitable tubing, seals and fittings do not merely wear out — they crack, shed particles and release degradation products into the gas stream the user is exposed to. The effect is well enough recognised to have its own test standard: ASTM D1149, Standard Test Methods for Rubber Deterioration — Cracking in an Ozone Controlled Environment.
Roughly how materials sort
- Good. Glass and ceramic; PTFE and PVDF; silicone and fluoroelastomers such as FKM/Viton; 316 stainless steel; aluminium and titanium.
- Adequate for lower exposure. Polypropylene, PVC, HDPE, EPDM, 304 stainless steel.
- Poor. Natural rubber, latex, nylon, neoprene, carbon steel.
The everyday demonstration is the test used to check that a generator is still producing: hold a latex glove in front of the ozone outlet and a hole appears within seconds. That is the material problem in miniature.
In our equipment
Salvagente builds with 304 and 316 stainless steel and silicone, and the ozone generator’s gas path uses stainless steel and glass. Those are alloy designations and a named polymer, which a buyer can look up.
What an owner should watch
Door rubbers and any latex or rubber accessory are consumables in an ozone environment rather than permanent parts. Routine care is weekly cleaning with soap, warm water and a soft cloth; treat the seals gently and expect to replace them in time. Perishing seals usually show up first as steam escaping.
Why it matters here
It is why an ozone sauna cannot be assembled from generic parts, why the door seals are a wear item rather than a fault, and why a replacement hose needs to be the right hose.