Rubber materials
Explore elastomer families and application categories side by side, with qualitative resistance bands, chemistry context, and the questions a quote will ask. Every profile is preliminary and educational: final material selection always requires technical review against the specific application.
Natural Rubber
NRNatural rubber is an unsaturated, non-polar elastomer known for very high resilience, abrasion and tear strength, but it is generally not selected for petroleum oil contact or prolonged outdoor ozone exposure.
- Dynamic mechanical loading and vibration isolation
- Wet and water-contact service
- Cold or moderate ambient conditions
- Petroleum oil, fuel and grease contact
- Outdoor ozone and prolonged UV exposure
- Sustained high heat
Styrene-Butadiene Rubber
SBRSBR is an unsaturated, non-polar general-purpose elastomer known for good abrasion resistance and low cost, but like natural rubber it is generally not selected for petroleum oil contact or prolonged outdoor ozone exposure.
- General-purpose indoor mechanical service
- Wet and water-contact applications
- Abrasive wear surfaces at moderate temperature
- Petroleum oil and fuel contact
- Outdoor ozone and UV exposure
- Sustained high heat
Ethylene Propylene Diene Rubber
EPDMEPDM is a non-polar elastomer family with a saturated backbone, known for weather, ozone, water and steam resistance, but it is generally not selected for petroleum oil exposure.
- Outdoor and weather-exposed sealing
- Hot water, steam and coolant contact
- Dilute acids, bases and many polar chemicals
- Petroleum oils, fuels and greases
- Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents
- Mineral-oil hydraulic fluids
Nitrile Rubber
NBRNBR is a polar, oil-resistant elastomer known for resistance to petroleum oils, fuels and greases, but it is generally not selected for outdoor ozone or strong polar-solvent exposure.
- Petroleum oil, fuel and grease sealing
- Hydraulic and lubrication systems
- Engine-compartment indoor service
- Outdoor ozone, UV and weathering
- Ketones, esters and strong polar solvents
- Strong oxidizing acids
Chloroprene Rubber (Neoprene-type)
CRCR / chloroprene (neoprene-type) is a moderately polar elastomer known for a balance of weather, ozone and moderate oil resistance plus a flame-retardant tendency, but it is generally not the top choice where extreme oil or extreme weather resistance is the single priority.
- General outdoor and weather service needing some oil tolerance
- Moderate oil and refrigerant contact
- Applications wanting a flame-retardant tendency
- Aggressive hot petroleum oil (where NBR is generally better)
- Severe ozone where EPDM generally excels
- Strong oxidizers and some aromatic solvents
Silicone Rubber
VMQSilicone (VMQ) is a special siloxane-backbone elastomer known for an exceptionally wide temperature range and excellent weather resistance, but it is generally not selected where high tear, abrasion or petroleum-oil resistance is the priority.
- Extreme hot and cold service
- Outdoor weather, ozone and UV exposure
- Sensitive contact uses such as food, medical and pharma (where specified)
- High-wear, high-pressure dynamic sealing
- Concentrated solvents, fuels and oils (grade-dependent)
- High-pressure steam
Fluoroelastomer
FKMFKM / fluoroelastomer is a premium, special elastomer with a saturated, highly fluorinated backbone, known for exceptional high-temperature and broad chemical resistance, but it is generally not selected for very low-temperature service or certain amines, ketones and hot-water duties without careful grade review.
- Aggressive chemicals, fuels and oils
- Sustained high-temperature service
- Outdoor weather and ozone
- Very low temperature service (grade-dependent)
- Hot water and steam (grade-dependent)
- Certain amines, ketones, esters and some brake fluids
Butyl Rubber
IIRButyl (IIR) is a non-polar, largely saturated elastomer known for very low gas permeability plus good weather and chemical resistance, but it is generally not selected for petroleum oil exposure.
- Air and gas containment and sealing
- Weather, ozone and water exposure
- Many acids, bases and polar chemicals
- Petroleum oils, fuels and greases
- Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents
- Applications needing high resilience and rebound
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene
CSMCSM / chlorosulfonated polyethylene is an elastomer with a saturated backbone, known for excellent weather, ozone and chemical/oxidizer resistance with moderate oil resistance, but it is generally not selected where high-temperature petroleum-oil resistance is the single priority.
- Outdoor weather, ozone and UV exposure
- Acids, oxidizers and aggressive chemicals
- Coverings and linings needing colour retention
- Aggressive hot petroleum oil where NBR is generally stronger
- Very low temperature service (grade-dependent)
- Some chlorinated and aromatic solvents
Polyurethane Elastomer
AU/EUPolyurethane (AU/EU) is a polar, segmented elastomer known for very high abrasion resistance and load-bearing strength, but it is generally not selected for hot-water, steam or sustained high-humidity service, especially in polyester grades, without grade review.
- High-abrasion and high-wear duty
- High-load and impact applications
- Petroleum oil and hydrocarbon contact (within temperature limits)
- Hot water, steam and prolonged high humidity (hydrolysis)
- High temperature service
- Strong acids, bases and some polar solvents
Food-Grade Rubber (Category)
FOODFood-grade rubber is a need-based category rather than a single polymer, where a suitable base material (commonly silicone, EPDM or NBR type) is compounded for food-contact suitability where specified, always subject to technical review and documentation.
- Food and beverage contact (where specified)
- Wash-down and sanitation cycles
- Aqueous and many fatty foods, by appropriate polymer
- Any service the underlying base polymer cannot handle
- Undocumented or unreviewed contact requirements
- Media outside the verified compatibility of the chosen grade
Potable-Water Rubber (Category)
POTABLEPotable-water rubber is a need-based category rather than a single polymer, commonly served by EPDM-type grades compounded for drinking-water contact where specified, always subject to technical review and documentation, and generally not selected for petroleum oil exposure.
- Cold and hot drinking-water contact (where specified)
- Chlorinated and chloraminated water at typical disinfectant levels
- Long-term immersion in potable systems
- Petroleum oils, fuels and greases
- Aggressive solvents and concentrated chemicals
- Service outside the chosen base polymer's limits
Abrasion-Resistant Rubber (Category)
ABRASIONAbrasion-resistant rubber is a need-based category rather than a single polymer, commonly served by resilient natural rubber for impact wear and tough polyurethane for sliding wear, with the base-polymer limitations (oil, heat, weather) still applying and requiring technical review.
- Abrasive bulk-material handling
- Slurry and sliding-wear surfaces
- Impact and gouging duty (resilient grades)
- Service outside the base polymer's oil, heat or weather limits
- Wrong wear-mechanism match (impact grade in sliding duty or vice versa)
- Aggressive chemical exposure beyond the base grade
Oil-Resistant Rubber (Category)
OILOil-resistant rubber is a need-based category rather than a single polymer, commonly served by polar NBR-type grades for everyday oils and premium FKM-type grades for aggressive or high-temperature fluids, with grade selection driven by the specific fluid and temperature and requiring technical review.
- Petroleum oils, fuels and greases
- Hydraulic and lubrication systems
- Engine and drivetrain service
- Outdoor ozone/weather for unprotected NBR grades
- Very low temperature for some FKM grades
- Strong polar solvents (ketones, esters) that can defeat common oil grades
High-Temperature Rubber (Category)
HIGHTEMPHigh-temperature rubber is a need-based category rather than a single polymer, commonly served by silicone for wide-range dry heat, FKM for hot aggressive fluids, and EPDM for hot water and steam, with the correct choice depending on both temperature and the surrounding media and requiring technical review.
- Sustained elevated-temperature service
- Hot air and dry heat (silicone)
- Hot aggressive fluids (FKM)
- A hot environment outside the chosen polymer's fluid compatibility
- High mechanical wear at temperature (silicone)
- Very low temperature for some FKM grades
General-Purpose Rubber (Category)
GPGeneral-purpose rubber is a need-based category rather than a single polymer, commonly served by natural rubber and SBR-type grades for mild, cost-sensitive mechanical parts, but generally not selected for petroleum oil, outdoor weather, high heat or aggressive chemical service.
- Mild indoor mechanical service
- Water and dry ambient conditions
- Cost-sensitive non-specialty parts
- Petroleum oil and fuel contact
- Outdoor ozone, UV and weather
- High temperature
Product-material matrix
A starting-point view of which materials are commonly paired with which product types. Markers indicate typical practice only, not a recommendation: any pairing should be confirmed by technical review against service conditions, regulatory needs, and the full specification.