Choose the right material for your project
Here is a quick and easy way for designers engineers, component specifiers and purchasing professionals to identify the rubber material best suited to your application. We also welcome you to contact one of our experts to further validate your results or discuss what material could be the best choice in line with your application requirements and business criteria.
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Silicone
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Silicone
Silicone is one of the most versatile of "rubber" compounds. With its extreme temperature range (-80°F to 550°F), it exceeds all comparable materials in their insulating properties as well as flexibility in a wide range of electrical applications. It is non-conductive, maintains dielectric strength (can be formulated to be conductive), and can be color matched to any Pantone/RAL.
Description and properties table
| Material name(s) |
Silicone |
| Material codes |
ASTM D1418: |
| Service temperature range |
-80F to 550F |
| Recommended usage |
Flexibility, compression set resistance, UV, ozone, static applications |
| Non recommended usage |
Tear, abrasion and tensile strength, dynamic applications |
| Durometer range |
10-85 Shore A |
| Most common application |
Electrical, fluid control, medical |
EPDM
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EPDM
EPDM is one of the most widely used synthetic rubbers. It can be found in several industries ranging from automotive to HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning). This is due mainly to its excellent resistance to water, steam, oxidation, ozone, acids and alkalis, as well as its ability to withstand significant temperature fluctuations (-60ºF to +150ºF).
Description and properties table
| Material name(s) |
Ethylene |
| Material codes |
ASTM D1418: |
| Service temperature range |
-60F to 300F |
| Recommended usage |
Weather, ozone and water |
| Non recommended usage |
Oils and water steam |
| Durometer range |
25-95 Shore A |
| Most common application |
Automotive, heating, ventilation and conditioning |
Fluoroelastomer
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Fluoroelastomer
Fluoroelastomers offers the widest range of fluid and chemical resistance of any commercial rubber. It has excellent resistance to oils, fuels, lubricants and most mineral acids, this high performance synthetic rubber also has excellent temperature resistance. It also offers low gas permeability. Fluorine content can be increased or reduced to improve key performance properties required by your application.
Description and properties table
| Material name(s) |
Viton® |
| Material codes |
ASTM D1418: |
| Service temperature range |
-20F to 550F |
| Recommended usage |
Chemicals, heat, oil and petroleums |
| Non recommended usage |
Limited resistance to steam, hot water and methanol, low temperatures |
| Durometer range |
60-90 Shore A |
| Most common application |
Aerospace, medical, chemical. |
Neoprene
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Neoprene
Neoprene is characterized by its versatility. It has good mechanical strength, it is ozone and weather resistant, and has good aging resistance. It bonds well to metal and has a good resistance to certain chemicals. Neoprene is also self-extinguishing and can be formulated for use in mass transit industries due to its ability to meet ASTM c1166, e162, e662 and SMP800C standards.
Description and properties table
| Material name(s) |
Neoprene |
| Material codes |
ASTM D1418: |
| Service temperature range |
-65F to 250F |
| Recommended usage |
Abrasion, ozone and flame retardant |
| Non recommended usage |
UV, heat, ketones and ester |
| Durometer range |
20-90 Shore A |
| Most common application |
Industrial |
Fluorosilicone
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Fluorosilicone
Fluorosilicone rubber is an inorganic "hybrid" elastomer which combines the wide temperature range spectrum of silicone with some of the chemical resistance of fluorocarbon rubber. Due to its silicone base, fluorosilicones have relatively low tear strength, abrasion resistance, and tensile strength, and therefore, are generally not suited to dynamic applications.
Description and properties table
| Material name(s) |
Fluorosilicone |
| Material codes |
ASTM D1418: |
| Service temperature range |
-65F to 450F |
| Recommended usage |
Heat, oils and fuels |
| Non recommended usage |
Tear, abrasion and tensile strength |
| Durometer range |
40-70 Shore A |
| Most common application |
Chemical and hydrocarbon fuel seals. |
Natural rubber
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Natural rubber
Natural rubber is fairly easy to process. It has good low temperature properties, excellent elongation and a high resistance to tears and abrasions. Its useful temperature range is between -60ºF and + 170ºF, and it can be easily bonded to metal. Unfortunately natural rubber exhibits poor resistance to ozone, oxygen, sunlight, solvents and oils.
Description and properties table
| Material name(s) |
Natural rubber |
| Material codes |
ASTM D1418: |
| Service temperature range |
-60F to 170F |
| Recommended usage |
Compression set, abrasion, tear and electrical insulation |
| Non recommended usage |
Ozone, strong acids, oil and petroleums |
| Durometer range |
25-90 Shore A |
| Most common application |
Abrasive protection, vibration dampening, Diaphragms. |
Nitrile
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Nitrile
Nitrile rubber is best suited for applications where resistance to oil, fuel and chemicals is required. NBR is commonly used for industrial and automotive applications, in products such as fuel and oil handling hoses, seals, grommets, hydraulic hoses, and o-rings
Description and properties table
| Material name(s) |
Nitrile/Buna N |
| Material codes |
ASTM D1418: |
| Service temperature range |
-40F to 250F |
| Recommended usage |
Oil, petroleum and high wear |
| Non recommended usage |
Ozone, tear, ketones and ester |
| Durometer range |
30-95 Shore A |
| Most common application |
Industrial and automotive, in products such as fuel and oil handling hoses, seals grommets, hydraulic hoses, and o-rings. |