Complete guide to all rubber materials and their applications
Nitrile rubber is the most widely used oil-resistant elastomer in the industry. Excellent resistance to petroleum oils, fuels, and hydraulic fluids makes it the top choice for automotive and industrial applications.
NBR offers the best balance of oil resistance and cost-effectiveness. It's the industry standard for automotive and hydraulic applications where exposure to petroleum products is common. Available in various grades for different oil resistance levels.
EPDM rubber excels in outdoor applications with outstanding resistance to weathering, ozone, UV light, and extreme temperatures. Perfect for water-based systems and steam applications.
EPDM is unmatched for outdoor and weather-exposed applications. Its resistance to ozone and UV degradation means longer service life in harsh environments. Excellent for hot water and steam - superior to NBR in these applications.
FKM (Viton®) is the premium choice for extreme chemical and temperature resistance. Used in demanding applications where standard rubbers fail. Highest performance elastomer for harsh environments.
FKM is the ultimate choice when failure is not an option. Withstands aggressive chemicals, extreme temperatures, and harsh fuels that destroy other rubbers. Premium cost justified by superior performance and extended service life in critical applications.
Silicone rubber offers the widest temperature range and excellent biocompatibility. FDA approved grades available for food and medical applications. Maintains flexibility at extreme temperatures.
Silicone is the only choice for food contact and medical applications requiring FDA approval. Unmatched temperature flexibility - stays pliable at -60°C and resists +230°C. Odorless, tasteless, and physiologically inert make it perfect for sensitive applications.
Neoprene offers balanced all-around performance with good chemical resistance, weather resistance, and flame resistance. The "general purpose" premium rubber for diverse applications.
Neoprene excels when you need balanced resistance to multiple factors - chemicals, weather, oil, and flame. Its versatility makes it ideal for applications where exposure conditions vary. Widely used in marine environments for excellent water resistance.
Natural rubber provides superior mechanical properties including high tensile strength, tear resistance, and elasticity. Excellent for dynamic applications requiring flexibility and resilience.
Natural rubber offers unmatched mechanical strength and elasticity that synthetic rubbers cannot fully replicate. Best for shock absorption and vibration isolation. Economical choice for general purpose applications not requiring oil or chemical resistance.
Polyurethane delivers exceptional abrasion resistance - up to 10 times better than rubber. Ideal for applications with severe wear conditions and high load bearing requirements.
Polyurethane is the champion of abrasion resistance. When equipment faces severe wear from sliding, rubbing, or scraping, PU outlasts all other elastomers. Superior load-bearing makes it ideal for heavy-duty industrial applications where rubber would fail quickly.
Butyl rubber has the lowest gas permeability of all elastomers, making it ideal for gas-tight applications. Excellent resistance to heat, ozone, and weathering.
Butyl rubber is unbeatable for gas impermeability - essential for tire inner liners and pharmaceutical stoppers. Its exceptional damping properties make it superior for vibration isolation. Best choice when air-tightness is critical.
HNBR combines NBR's oil resistance with superior heat resistance and physical properties. The hydrogenation process creates enhanced stability for extreme automotive and industrial conditions.
HNBR is the upgrade to NBR when temperatures exceed 120°C. Essential for modern automotive engines with higher operating temperatures. Outlasts standard NBR by 3-5 times in hot oil environments. The premium choice for demanding applications.
SBR is the most economical synthetic rubber with good abrasion resistance and aging properties. Excellent for general purpose applications where oil resistance is not required.
SBR offers the best value for general purpose applications. More consistent properties than natural rubber and better aging resistance. Ideal when you need abrasion resistance without the cost of specialized rubbers. Blends well with other elastomers for custom formulations.
Fluorosilicone combines silicone's temperature flexibility with fuel and oil resistance. The perfect solution when you need both extreme temperatures and hydrocarbon resistance.
Fluorosilicone solves the problem regular silicone can't - fuel resistance. Essential for aerospace and automotive fuel systems requiring low temperature flexibility. The only elastomer that maintains sealing at -60°C while resisting jet fuel and gasoline.
FFKM is the ultimate elastomer with unmatched chemical resistance and highest temperature capability. Used in semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and extreme chemical processing where nothing else survives.
FFKM is the absolute best when chemical resistance and temperature are critical. Resists over 1,800 chemicals including hot concentrated acids. Operates at 327°C - higher than any other elastomer. Premium investment justified by zero failures in critical semiconductor and pharmaceutical processes.
XNBR is NBR with enhanced properties through carboxyl groups. Offers superior abrasion resistance and tensile strength compared to standard NBR while maintaining oil resistance.
XNBR improves on NBR's mechanical properties without sacrificing oil resistance. Best choice when NBR's oil resistance is needed but higher strength and abrasion resistance are critical. Commonly used in demanding industrial applications.
ACM excels in hot oil and automatic transmission fluid resistance. Specifically designed for automotive applications requiring continuous heat and oil exposure.
ACM is the automotive industry standard for transmission and engine seals operating in hot oil. Outlasts NBR by 10x at 150°C in transmission fluid. Essential for modern vehicles with high-temperature automatic transmissions and power steering systems.
AEM (Vamac®) provides excellent heat resistance combined with good low temperature flexibility. Ideal for automotive under-hood applications with extreme temperature cycling.
AEM combines high heat resistance with better low-temperature performance than ACM. Perfect for under-hood automotive applications experiencing wide temperature swings. Resists modern biodiesel fuels better than traditional rubbers. First choice for turbocharger and intercooler hoses.
Hypalon® offers outstanding weathering and chemical resistance. Exceptional color stability and resistance to sunlight, ozone, and oxidizing chemicals makes it ideal for outdoor exposure.
Hypalon is unmatched for long-term outdoor exposure requiring color retention. Maintains properties after decades of sunlight exposure. Essential for roofing, pond liners, and chemical containment. Superior to EPDM when chemical resistance is also needed alongside weathering.
ECO combines fuel resistance with excellent low temperature properties and very low gas permeability. Ideal for automotive fuel systems and applications requiring both fuel resistance and air-tightness.
ECO is the specialist for automotive fuel systems combining fuel resistance with low permeability. Better low temperature performance than NBR while maintaining fuel resistance. Essential for modern fuel injection systems and ethanol-blended fuels. Prevents fuel vapor emissions better than other fuel-resistant rubbers.
PTFE-encapsulated combines the chemical inertness of PTFE with the resilience and sealing force of elastomers. The perfect solution for applications requiring universal chemical compatibility with elastomeric sealing performance.
PTFE-encapsulated offers chemical inertness that no rubber can match, while maintaining sealing performance that solid PTFE lacks. Essential when dealing with highly corrosive chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or ultra-pure applications. The coating protects the rubber core while providing universal compatibility.
Quick reference guide to select the right rubber
| Material | Oil Resistance | Weather Resistance | Temperature Range | Chemical Resistance | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBR (Nitrile) | ★★★★★ | ★★☆☆☆ | -40°C to +120°C | ★★★☆☆ | Low | Oil/Fuel Systems |
| EPDM | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | -50°C to +150°C | ★★★☆☆ | Low | Outdoor/Weather |
| FKM (Viton) | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | -20°C to +230°C | ★★★★★ | High | Extreme Conditions |
| Silicone | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | -60°C to +230°C | ★★☆☆☆ | High | Food/Medical |
| Neoprene | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | -40°C to +120°C | ★★★☆☆ | Medium | General Purpose |
| Natural Rubber | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | -50°C to +80°C | ★☆☆☆☆ | Very Low | Mechanical Strength |
| Polyurethane | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | -30°C to +90°C | ★★★☆☆ | Medium | Abrasion Resistance |
| Butyl | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | -40°C to +120°C | ★★★☆☆ | Medium | Gas Impermeability |
| HNBR | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | -40°C to +150°C | ★★★★☆ | High | Hot Oil Resistance |
| SBR | ★☆☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | -50°C to +100°C | ★★☆☆☆ | Very Low | Cost-Effective |
| Fluorosilicone | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | -60°C to +200°C | ★★★☆☆ | Very High | Fuel + Low Temp |
| FFKM | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | -15°C to +327°C | ★★★★★ | Premium | Ultimate Performance |
| XNBR | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | -30°C to +120°C | ★★★☆☆ | Medium | Enhanced NBR |
| ACM | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | -15°C to +180°C | ★★★☆☆ | High | Hot Oil/ATF |
| AEM | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | -40°C to +180°C | ★★★☆☆ | High | Automotive Heat |
| Hypalon | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | -40°C to +135°C | ★★★★★ | High | Chemical + Weather |
| ECO | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | -40°C to +135°C | ★★★☆☆ | Medium | Fuel Systems |
| PTFE-Coated | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | -200°C to +260°C | ★★★★★ | Premium | Universal Chemical |
Our experts can recommend the perfect material for your application