Rubber Properties

The chart below is intended to help in the material selection stage of designing rubber parts / products. Rubber
compounding is a very broad and technical field, since basic rubbers or elastomers are mixed with various chemicals and
ingredients (and even with each other) to obtain desired physical properties.

A wide variety of basic polymers (rubbers) are available, and a literally infinite array of compounds exhibiting unique
physical properties as well as chemical, fluid, and temperature resistances are possible. This chart, therefore, deals only
with very general features of the most common basic rubber or elastomer compounds, but more specific information is
available upon request.

General Chemical Resistance3

Common
Name(s) Designation2 Composition General Properties1 Resistent to: Attacked by:

Good Weathering Moderate chemicals and Strong oxidizing acids,

Resistance. Flame retarding. acids, ozone, oils, fats, esters, ketones, chlorinated,
Neoprene CR Chloroprene Moderate resistance to greases, many oils, and aromatic and nitro
pertroleum-based fluids. solvents. hydrocarbons.

Excellent ozone, chemical, Animal and vegetable oils, Mineral oils and solvents,
Ethylene-propylene- and aging resistance. Poor ozone, strong and aromatic hydrocarbons.
EPDM EPDM, EPM diene; Ethylene- resistance to pertoleum- oxidizing chemicals.
propylene based fluids.

Excellent resistance to Many hydrocarbons, fats, Ozone (except PVC blends),

pertoleum-based fluids. oils, greases, hydraulic ketones, esters, aldehydes,
Buna-N NBR Nitrile-butadiene
Good physical properties. fluids, chemicals. chlorinated and nitro
hydrocarbons.

Excellent high and low Moderate or oxidizing Many solvents, oils,

temperature properties. Fair chemicals, ozone, concentrated acids, dilute
Silicone Q, Si Polysiloxane
physical properties. concentrated sodium sodium hydroxide.
hydroxide.

Good physical properties Most moderate chemicals, Ozone, strong acids, fats,
and abrasion resistance. wet or dry, organic acids, oils, greases, most
SBR SBR Styrene-butadiene Poor resistance to alcohols, ketones, hydrocarbons.
petroleum-based fluids. aldehydes.

Very good weathering Animal and vegetable fats, Petroleum, solvents, coal tar
resistance. Excellent oils, greases, ozone, solvents, aromatic
dialectric properties. Low strong and oxidizing hydrocarbons.
Butyl IIR Isobutene-isoprene permeability to air. Good chemicals.
physical properties. Poor
resistance to petroleum-
based fluids.

Excellent physical properties
including abrasion and low
Natural, Gum temperature resistance.
NR Isoprene, natural
Rubber Poor resistance to
petroleum-based fluids.
Most moderate chemicals, Ozone, strong acids, fats,
wet or dry, organic acids, oils, greases, most
alcohols, ketones, hydrocarbons.
aldehydes.

Isoprene, Similar to natural rubber. Similar to natural rubber. Similar to natural rubber.
IR Isoprene, synthetic
Polyisoprene
 Excellent ozone, weathering, Similar to Neoprene with Concentrated oxidizing acids,
and acid resistance. Good improved acid resistance. esters, ketones, chlorinated,
Chloro-sulfonyl- and abrasion and heat aromatic, and nitro
Hypalon CSM resistance. Fair resistance to hydrocarbons.
polyethylene
petroleum-based fluids.

Excellent resistance to high Ozone, extreme pressure, Water, alcohols, glycols,

temperature, oil and air, lubricants, hot oils, alkali, esters, aromatic and
Acrylate-butadiene,
Acrylic, Poly ozone, and weathering. Poor petroleum solvents, animal halogenated hydrocarbons,
ABR, ACM copolymer of acrylic
Acrylate low temperature properties. and vegetable fats. phenol.
ester and acrylic halide
Not recommended for water
service.

Good aging and excellent Ozone, hydrocarbons, Concentrated acids, ketones,

Polyethylene-apdate,
abrasion, tear, and solvent moderate chemicals, fats, esters, chlorinated and nitro
Urethane AU, EU Poly (oxy-1, 4,
resistance. Poor high oils, greases. hydrocarbons.
butylene) ether
temperature properties.

Excellent ozone and

weathering resistance; good
Chlorinated- Chlorinated-
CPE heat resistance. Moderate
polyethylene polyethylene
resistance to petroleum-
based fluids.

Excellent oil and air All aliphatic, aromatic and Ketones, low molecular
Viton ® 4, resistance both at low and halogenated weight esters and nitro
Hexaflouropropylene-
Fluoro- FPM high temperatures. Very hydrocarbons, acids, containing compounds.
vinylidene flouride
elastomer good chemical resistance. animal and vegetable oils.

Excellent abrasion Similar to SBR Similar to SBR

Butadiene resistance and low
BR Polybutadiene
rubber temperature properties. High
resilience.

Excellent chemical
Tetraflouroethylene-
resistance. Excellent high
Kalrez ® 4 AFMU flouronitrosomethane-
and low temperature
perflourobutyric acid
properties.

Excellent oil and ozone Similar to nitrile with ozone Ketones, esters, aldehydes,
resistance. Good flame resistance. chlorinated and nitro
Polychloromethyl
Hydrin, Herchlor CO resistance and low hydrocarbons.
oxirane
permeability to gases. Fair
low temperature properties.

Good low temperature Similar to nitrile with ozone Ketones, esters, aldehydes,
properties. Excellent oil and resistance. chlorinated and nitro
ECH, Hydrin, Ethylene oxide and
ECO ozone resistance. Fair flame hydrocarbons.
Herchlor chloromethyl oxirane
resistance. Low permeability
to gases.

Moderate or oxidizing Brake fluids, hydrazine,

chemicals, ozone, ketones.
Fluoro-silicone FSi Flourocarbon
aromatic chlorinated
solvents, bases.
Footnotes

1. From the "Sheet Rubber Handbook - Gasket and Packing Materials" publication #IP-40 of the Rubber
Manufacturers Association (RMA).

2. ASTM D 1418-79

3. 1979 Yearbook of the Los Angeles Rubber Group, Inc.

4. "Viton" and "Kalrez" are registered trademarks of E.I. Dupont, Inc.

If it’s made from rubber, contact us!

Material Choice Guide To Selecting Rubber Compounds

Elder Rubber Company is pleased to present this "Material Choice Guide To Selecting Rubber
Compounds" to provide a convenient reference for proper elastomer selection.
This information should be used only as a general guide, as the ratings are based primarily on
published literature from various polymer suppliers such as Du Pont, Dow Corning and General
Electric Co. as well as other rubber manufacturers. We do not guarantee the accuracy and assume no
liability for the use thereof.
There are many variable factors to be considered before accepting a general elastomer compound for
a particular service. Because of the variations in compounds and the various affect of changes in
temperature, durometer and service conditions, it is the policy of Elder Rubber Company that the
customer should always test and determine the suitability of the particular elastomer compound for its particular
application requirements.
Natural
Compounds → Neoprene Nitrile EPDM Silicone Hypalon SBR Viton
Rubber
Properties ↓
Hardness (Shore A) 40-95 40-95 40-95 40-95 40-80 40-90 40-90 50-95
-45 to -50 to -40 to -35 to -150 to -35 to -50 to -40 to
Temperature Range
210 F 260 F 260 F 250 F 550 F 250 F 215 F 500 F
-101 - -
DEG.C -45 to100 -45 to127 -40to127 -37to121 -45to102
to323 37to121 40to260
Max Tensile Strength 3500- 2500- 1000- 2500- 2000-
2000 3000 2000
PSI 4000 3000 3500 3000 2500
Max Elongation % 500-600 600-800 400-600 500-600 600-800 500 450-500 300
Resilience E G F-G G E P G P
Abrasion E E G G P E G G
Tear Resistance E G F-G G P F F F
Electrical Insulation E F P E E G G G
Flame Resistance P E P P G G P G
Ozone Resistance P E P E E E F E
UV Resistance G G G E E E F E
Moisture Resistance G G F-G E G G G E
Acid Resistance
F G G G P E F E
(Concentrated)
Solvent Resistance P G P F P G P E
Oil Resistance P G E P F G P E
Hypalon, Neoprene and Viton are registered trademarks of DuPont.
P - POOR
F - FAIR
G - GOOD
E - EXCELLENT