Braiding yarn made of expanded graphite

摘要

The present invention relates to a braiding yarn made of expanded graphite for a gland packing which is to be used in a shaft seal part of a fluid apparatus or the like. In the braiding yarn made of expanded graphite of the invention, a braiding yarn base material of the inner-reinforce type is used in which a plurality of reinforcing fibers are embedded in the longitudinal direction in an expanded graphite tape of a predetermined width, with forming gaps in the width direction. A twisting process is performed in a state where both the end portions in the width direction of the expanded graphite tape are bent so that both the end portions in the width direction of the expanded graphite tape are directed toward the inner side in the width direction of the base material. Alternatively, while twisting the base material both the end portions in the width direction of the expanded graphite tape are bent so that both end portions in the width direction are directed toward the inner side in the width direction. According to the invention, flaking of expanded graphite particles during a process of twisting the braiding yarn made of expanded graphite is reduced or prevented from occurring.