Talk to us now
Nitrile Butadiene Rubber was developed in 1941 as the first oil resistant rubber. It is the material used for most general applications, including use with petroleum base lubricants, hydraulic oils, gasoline, fuels, alcohol, LP gases, and water, amongst others.
Nitrile has moderate physical properties, but good abrasion resistance.
Gas permeability is low; ozone resistance and electrical properties are average and flame resistance is poor.
White Nitrile has similar properties to Nitrile above but is coloured white and this is often specified for use in the food industry.
Ethlylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) typical applications include accumulator bladders, cable connectors and insulators, diaphragms, gaskets, hoses and seals.
EPDM has ozone and chemical resistance. Its physical properties are very good and resistance to polar fluids is generally good.
Low temperature resistance is also very good and EPDM can be compounded to give excellent electrical resistance.
EPDM is not suitable for exposure to petroleum based fluids and di-ester lubricants.
EPDM can either be cured with sulphur or peroxide, depending upon which properties are the most important.
Potable water (WRC/WRAS/AS4020) grades are available as well as Food Quality mixes suitable for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.
Fluorosilicones can operate over a very wide range of temperatures (-60°C to +250°C) and their ozone and weather resistance is excellent.
They have good electrical strength and moderate oil resistance. Flourosilicones are very good in static applications and have excellent memory.
They can be supplied in FDA-approved compounds.
Flouroelastomers are among the most suitable rubbers for continuous use at temperatures up to 200°C.
Fluoroelastomers have excellent resistance to ozone and weathering, and to oils and most chemicals, fuels, solvents and gases.
Viton® is a commonly used elastomer and Viton is a registered trade mark of DuPont Performance Elastomers.
Urethanes are manufactured from thermosetting liquid-cast polyurethane of 92A Durometer and in the right enviroment can often give up to 10 times the service of Nitrile rubber.
Polyurethanes have extremely high tensile abrasion resistance. They are suitable for both dynamic and static sealing applications.
They are highly recommended for use in cylinder design for a wide variety of hydraulic fluids
Chloroprene Rubber (CR) was one of the first oil resistant synthetic rubbers. It is regarded as a good general purpose rubber and is widely used because of its extensive range of useful properties and its reasonable price.
CR has better chemical, oil, ozone and heat resistance than natural rubber, but a rather lower level of physical properties – it has only moderate resistance to petroleum based oils and fuels; it tends to slowly absorb water and its electrical properties are poor and gas permeability is fairly low.
Neoprene has excellent flame resistance – chloroprene being one of the few rubbers that are self-extinguishing and it has excellent rubber-metal bonds and good resilience.
Neoprene® is a commonly used Chloroprene Rubber and is a registered trade mark of DuPont Performance Elastomers.
Components in HNBR offer an excellent range of performance at a cost between Nitrile rubber and Fluoroelastomers.
HNBR has excellent physical properties tensile and tear strength, elongation, abrasion resistance, and compression set. It exhibits good dynamic behaviour at higher temperatures.
HNBR has excellent resistance to sour oil and gas, steam, hot water and ozone.
It has poor electrical properties, poor flame resistance and is subject to attack by aromatic oils and polar organic solvents.
HNBR can either be cured with sulphur or peroxide, depending upon which properties are the most important.
Natural Rubber is the only non-synthetic rubber and has been in commercial use since the beginning of the 20th century. It is extracted from the sap of the Hevea Brasiliensis tree grown in renewable plantations and is fully biodegradable.
It has excellent physical properties – tensile strength, elongation and abrasion resistance – over a wide range of hardnesses.
Natural Rubber is very good for dynamic applications at low and ambient temperatures, due to its good tear strength, fatigue resistance and excellent compression set. It has poor resistance to high temperatures, and to ozone.
Weather resistance is good for black compounds but only fair for white and coloured mixes.
Although Natural Rubber can be used with water and some dilute acids, alkalis and chemicals, EPDM is normally the preferred material for most aqueous applications.
Natural Rubber is not suitable for exposure to petroleum based oils and fuels.
Sponge Rubber is a soft, porous rubber used for cushioning. It is highly effective as a vibration dampener and is often used for gaskets and weather stripping.
Sponge Rubber can be formulated from a variety of materials including EPDM, Neoprene and Silicon.
Foam Rubber is rubber that has been manufactured with a foaming agent to create an air-filled matrix structure with excellent cushioning properties (85% air to 15% rubber).
It is often used on doorways or hatches as a sealant and is very cost-efficient.
Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts and seals resist over 1,800 different chemicals and are stable at extremely high temperatures (up to 327°C).
Kalrez® parts are suitable for use with a wide range of industrial and electronic grade chemicals, such as in highly aggressive chemical processing, semiconductor wafer processing, pharmaceutical, oil and gas recovery, and aerospace applications.
Kalrez® parts can be supplied in standard O-rings or custom shapes. Their advanced chemical and temperature resistance helps maintain seal integrity, and reduce maintenance and operating costs.
Kalrez is a registered trade mark of DuPont Performance Elastomers.
Aflas® or TFE/P (Tetrafluoroethelene Propylene) is a member of a new generation of Fluoroelastomers compounded especially to provide unique properties for specific applications.
Aflas® compounds have been cured using peroxides to provide excellent, all round, environmental resistance. The primary uses for Aflas® are in parts for oil drilling equipment.
A unique property of TFE/P is that at very low temperatures (down to -54 °C), it takes on a leathery consistency and remains functional, unlike many other rubbers which can often become brittle and shatter at low temperatures.
Aflas® is a registered trademark of the Asahi Glass Co Ltd.
UHMWPE has the advantage of extreme low temperature resistance-200 to +80 Celsius).
It also has low moisture absorption and a low coefficient of friction (slippery).
It displays excellent wear resistance and good chemical resistance and Food Grade approved options are available.
Applications for UHMWPE include rollers, bearings, wear strips and bin liners.
UHMWPE is commonly available in white and black, but other colours may be available on request.
UHMWPE can come in a number of grades with different fillers to improve the materials characteristics.
Nylon exhibits excellent physical properties it has high impact resistance; high compressive/tensile strength; good shock absorption and it is a good electrical insulator.
It has the disadvantage of being hydroscopic i.e. it absorbs water.
It operates over a temperature range of -40 to +90° Celsius
Nylon is used for gears, sheaves, cams, and idlers amongst many other uses and with the addition of glass, molybdenum, or oil, etc., properties may be enhanced for specific applications. These special grades are available on request.
Acetal is commonly used for small gears, bearings, cams, wheels, rollers, and precision machine parts, and is available in white or black colours.
It displays good abrasion resistance and good chemical resistance and has a low co-efficient of friction (slippery).
Acetal can be Food Grade approved and dimensionally stable. It has low moisture absorption properties and can be used in a temperature range of -30 to +90° Celsius.
A disadvantage of Acetal is that it can be brittle under shock load conditions
PETP is a very hard and dimensionally stable material with good compressive strength, good chemical resistance and good wear/weather resistance and low moisture absorption.
It has a low co-efficient of friction (slippery), and by adding a solid dispersed lubricant (PTFE) to the material the co-efficient of friction can be lowered even further. This grade is usually available on request.
It is Food Grade approved.
PETP is not suitable for shock load applications.
Its applications include pump components, gears, bearings, and a variety of precision-machined components.
PETP has a temperature range of -20° Celsius +100° Celsius
PTFE (in it’s Virgin state) is a Food Approved, white material which excellent high & low temperature resistance (-200 to +260° Celsius).
Because of PTFE’s high chemical resistance it is widely used in the chemical and petrochemical industries.
It has a very low co-efficient of friction (slippery) and excellent electrical/insulation properties.
PTFE is used for piston rings, back-up rings, bearings, valve seats, packing, and more. The addition of glass, carbon, bronze, graphite and other filling compounds can enhance PTFE’s properties for specific applications and these other grades are available on request.
One disadvantage of PTFE is its relatively poor memory (the ability to form back to its original shape after being deformed.) The use of fillers such as above, or the inclusion of O-Rings or springs can help overcome this for some profiles.
Teflon® is a registered trade mark of DuPont Performance Elastomers.
EPTFE is expanded PTFE so it is softer and more malleable than traditional PTFE.
EPTFE displays the same temperature resistance, chemical resistance and electrical insulation properties as PTFE and is also Food Grade approved.
Because of its unique properties, PEEK is widely used where thermal, chemical and combustion properties are critical to performance. It is used for bearings, wear bands, and washers, etc.
Its properties include exceptional chemical resistance, extremely good wear/abrasion resistance, good radiation resistance and high hydrolysis (water absorption) resistance.
PEEK is dimensionally stable in a temperature range from -60 to +250° Celsius.
Note: The addition of glass, carbon, graphite etc. can enhance properties for specific applications. These other grades may be available on request.
