Rubber |
Advantages |
Applications |
Natural
(natural polyisoprene) |
High resilience, good strength; resists wear and tear; low permanent-set characteristics; excellent flexing qualities at low temperatures; bonds well to most metals and fabrics. |
For products requiring unusual flexing, resilience, abrasion resistance, or water exposure, such as boats, bumpers, belts, tubing. |
Synthetic
(synthetic polyisoprene) |
Outstanding resilience; better resistance to extreme temperatures, aging and weather; more uniform quality and usually lower in cost than natural rubber. |
For products requiring unusual flexing, resilience, abrasion resistance, or water exposure, such as boats, bumpers, belts, tubing. |
SBR
(styrene butadiene) |
Low price; very fine abrasion, wear and tensile qualities; can be readily substituted for natural rubber in many applications; bonds easily to many materials. |
Widely used for washers, gaskets, grommets and many other mechanical rubber goods applications requiring high tensile strength and abrasion resistance. |
Butyl
(isobutylene isoprene) |
Excellent impermeability; outstanding resistance to ozone, oxidation, weathering, acids and many chemicals; superior resistance to abrasion; ideal flexing and damping characteristics. |
Rubber parts include weather stripping, bumpers, shock absorbers, lining for bowling pits, chemical tubing, as well as tubing handling hot fluids. |
| Polybutadiene |
Offers unusually good performance at low temperatures (-100 F); lower heat build-up plus high resistance to wear and abrasion; costs less per pound than natural rubber. |
Its most popular use is for building tires; recommended for a wide range of general mechanical goods applications similar to those for natural rubber. |
| EPDM |
Provides excellent resistance to ozone, oxidants and severe weather conditions; outstanding color stability, odor-free characteristics, high heat resistance and dielectric qualities. |
Used for a wide range of molded and extruded parts in the appliance and automotive industries: weather stripping, boots, seals, dust covers, sleeves, mounts. |
Neoprene
(chloroprene) |
Resists ozone, sunlight, oxidation and many petroleum derivatives; resistant to combustion; provides good resistance to water, many chemicals, has good resilience and tensile strength properties. |
Typical uses include gaskets, impellers, instrument mounts, seals, weather, stripping cups. |
NBR
(butadiene acrylonitrile) |
Highly resistant to petroleum oils, aromatic hydrocarbons, mineral oils, vegetable oils and many acids; has good elongation properties, as well as adequate resilience, tensile and compression set. |
For products where oil resistance is of critical importance, including diaphragms, hose, gaskets, tubing, cups, and seals for fuel and hydraulic components. |
Polyurethane
(polyurethane diisocyanate) |
Good elongation and high tensile strength at high durometer readings; excellent abrasion and tear strength; good resistance to ozone and oxygen; low coefficient of friction. |
Bumpers, drive wheels, impellers and shock pads are currently the most popular applications. |
Silicone
(polysiloxane) |
Temperature resistance ranges from -160 F to +600 F and as high as 700 F for short periods of time; tensile strengths as high as 1800 psi are attainable; elongation characteristics up to 800% can be achieved; offers good resistance to weathering and compression set as well as fatigue and flexing; has unusual cut-growth plus excellent bonding and fusing qualities. |
Ideal for automotive, aircraft and appliance components; also for certain surgical and food processes applications because it is odorless and tasteless. |
Hypalon
(chlorosulfonated polyethylene) |
Affords outstanding resistance to most chemicals, heat and oil; is flame resistant; offers excellent color stability, weather and abrasion resistance; also low moisture absorption and good dielectric qualities. |
Popular for weather stripping, gaskets, seals, insulator boots, and special heat applications. |
Acrylics
(polyacrylics) |
Furnishes outstanding heat and oil resistance; provides excellent protection against oxygen and ozone; good heat aging and flex life. |
Automotive transmission seals, O-rings and allied applications are its chief uses. |
Fluoroelastomers
(fluorinated hydrocarbon) |
High resistance to solvents, acids, bases, fuels, oils and hydraulic fluids; unusual performance at elevated temperatures ranging from +450 F to +600 F; outstanding resistance to weathering, ozone, oxygen and flame; good tensile strength, resilience, low compression set; low temperature range is approximately -60 F. |
Precision seals O-rings, tubing, valve seats, linings and coated fabrics are a partial listing of the products now being produced from fluoroelastomer stocks. |
