Gore Challenges Wet Sealing with Dry Sealant for Permanent Aircraft Structures

April 2, 2026

The new PX1 dry sealant for permanent aircraft structures developed by W.L. Gore & Associates. (Image: W.L. Gore & Associates)

For decades, wet sealing has been accepted as a necessary constraint in aerostructure manufacturing, despite its impact on throughput, variability and necessary rework. W. L. Gore & Associates is challenging that assumption with the introduction of the GORE® SKYFLEX® Aerospace Materials PX1 Series, the first ready-to-use dry sealant technology engineered for permanent aircraft structures.

Building on decades of success with GORE® SKYFLEX® Aerospace Materials, the new PX1 Series extends Gore’s proven dry sealing technology to permanent aerospace structures. The result is a reliable, durable and tested solution that eliminates the need for mixing, curing, or clean-up while reducing labor hours and rework.

PX1 Series enables one-way and robotic assembly processes, improving efficiency and process control while maintaining high sealing integrity. As a pre-formed dry sealant, PX1 Series helps avoid material over-application common with form-in-place sealants, reducing unnecessary sealant mass at the joint level while maintaining consistent sealing performance.

This pre-formed dry sealant reduces waste, contains no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or hazardous substances, and requires no special disposal, supporting safer and more sustainable production environments. PX1 Series’ commercial product readiness has been verified through independent testing and multiple validation programs with leading OEMs and defense customers.

As a dry alternative to traditional form-in-place sealants, PX1 Series minimizes operator variability and ensures consistent sealing quality under vibration and temperature cycling. It maintains reliable sealing and corrosion protection across the full lifetime of an aircraft, with proven performance in 1,000-hour salt-fog testing between −55 °C and +120 °C (-67 °F to +248 °F).

“With the launch of our PX1 Series, we're redefining aircraft sealing for permanent structures. This next-generation dry sealant eliminates the complexity of traditional wet sealing methods and enables significant efficiency gains in aerostructure manufacturing. PX1 empowers aircraft manufacturers and their supply chain with a one-way assembly solution that’s lighter, faster, and more reliable - making it a true leap forward in sealing technology for load-bearing joints.”

The PX1 Series marks the next generation of innovative sealants and drives forward short-term prototype development and evaluation for OEMs, MROs, or technology development segments (eVTOL, aerospace, rockets), where ease of use and speed are crucial.

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