Materials

Which material is right for your application?

Our extensive application experience allows us to provide you with custom compounds that meet your specific needs while utilizing the most cost-effective materials. Our engineers can develop formulations to meet your ASTM, NSF, MIL, CFR or other specifications.

EPDM has a  unique combination of physical properties, which allows it to be utilized in an unusually broad range of products. Aside from applications requiring resistance to oil and hydrocarbon solvents, there is scarcely an application in which EPDM is totally unsuitable. In general, EPDM is similar to butyl but has slightly less susceptibility to contamination. Chlorobutyl (chlorinated version of butyl) is much superior to EPDM in attaining good adhesion to fabrics and metals.

EPDM is a great material for outdoor applications. What makes EPDM unique is the elastomer’s ability to resist degradation from weathering agents like UV rays, ozone and heat. Additionally, EDPM is also very resistant to polar substances and steam.

Advantages: Excellent resistance to heat; ozone and sunlight; very good flexibility at low temperatures; good resistance to alkalis, acids and oxygenated solvents; superior resistance to water and steam; excellent color stability.

• Limitations: Poor resistance to oil; gasoline and hydrocarbon solvents; adhesion to fabrics and metal is poor.

Epichlorohydrin is a specialty polyether elastomer that appears to possess a combination of many desirable properties of nitrile and neoprene. On the negative side, its adhesion to fabrics and metals is much inferior to neoprene’s  and its superior impermeability to gases often causes processing problems and product defects because of air entrapment. Epichlorohydrin is available as a homopolymer (CO) and a copolymer (ECO) of epichlorohydrin containing about 50 percent ethylene oxide. The homopolymer is superior in ozone resistance and gas impermeability and the copolymer is better in resilience and flexibility at low temperatures.

Oil resistance of the homopolymer and the copolymer is about the same. Epichlorohydrin is now also available as a terpolymer of epichlorohydrin, ethylene oxide, and a third monomer. The new terpolymer has properties similar to those of the copolymer. However, unlike the copolymer, the terpolymer can easily be blended with SBR and nitrile, and sulfur cured; and its adhesion to fabrics and metals is reportedly the best among the three versions of epichlorohydrin elastomer.

• Advantages: Excellent resistance to oil and gasoline; superior impermeability to gases and vapor; very good resistance to weather, ozone, sunlight, and oxidation; wide range of service temperatures; good resistance to petroleum-based fluids and solvents.
• Limitations: Inferior resistance to oxygenated solvents; poor resistance to steam and acids.

Perfluoroelastomers (FFKMs) have outstanding resistance to very high temperatures and chemicals. FFKMs are typically used in applications where FKMs do not yield an acceptable performance. FFKM is a family of perfluoroelastomer compounds that contain even higher amounts of fluoride than FKM. FFKM o-rings provide exceptional high temperature and chemical resistance, and can even withstand prolonged exposure to oxygen-plasma. FFKM lathe cut gaskets can be provided for continuous service in temperatures as high as 621°F (327°C). These gaskets are commonly used in applications that involve repeated or prolonged contact with hydrocarbons and/or highly corrosive fluids, or those that encounter a wide range of temperatures.

• High stability in aggressive media
• Highly stable in polar and nonpolar media
• High reliability for dynamic applications
• High reliability for static applications
• Temperature range from -30 °C to +325 °C
• Commonly used in O-rings and gaskets

Fluorocarbon is a very expensive elastomer with outstanding resistance to a wide variety of oils, fuels, acids, and solvents at elevated temperatures, heat resistance that is almost as good as that of silicone, a resistance to hot oil that exceeds that of acrylic, and weathering properties superior to those of neoprene.

Because of its very high price, fluorocarbon is used only in applications requiring excellent stability under extremely severe operating conditions. Subjecting fluorocarbon to a two-stage cure cycle produces the best balance of properties.

Advantages: Outstanding resistance to high heat; excellent resistance to oil, gasoline, hydraulic fluids and hydrocarbon solvents; good flame retardance; very good impermeability to gases and vapor; very good resistance to weather, oxygen, ozone, and sunlight.

Limitations: Poor resistance to tear and cut growth; very little resistance to oxygenated solvents; fair adhesion to fabrics and metals.

FKMs or fluoroelastomers, are a family of elastomers with resistance to a broad range of chemicals combined with very good high temperature properties. Specialty types with differing monomer compositions and fluorine content are tailored for superior fluid resistance, low and high temperature performance, and combinations thereof.

Advantages:

• Excellent temperature resistance
• High chemical stability
• Good weather, aging and oxygen stability
• Excellent resistance in mineral oils and fats
• Low gas permeability
• Very good resistance in non-polar media
• Temperature range from –40 °C to +225 °C

• Advantages: Good flame retardance; good abrasion resistance; superior resistance to weather, ozone, sunlight, and oxidation; excellent resistance to alkalis and acids; very good color stability; moderate resistance to oil and gasoline.
• Limitations: Poor to fair resistance to aromatic solvents; limited flexibility at low temperatures; fair resilience and compression set.
• Remarks: Hypalon is a close match to neoprene in most properties, but it is superior in resistance to acids, solvents, ozone, and oxidation and has decidedly better color stability.

The chemical composition of isoprene is nearly identical to that of natural rubber.  Here, the properties of these two elastomers is similar. Isoprene has slightly better resistance to weather and its properties are more consistent because of its purity and uniformity. It is somewhat inferior to natural rubber in tensile strength, tear resistance and compression set.

• Advantages: Outstanding resilience; superior resistance to tear and abrasion; very good tensile strength; excellent rebound elasticity (snap); good flexibility at low temperatures; lack of odor.
• Limitations: Poor resistance to heat; ozone and sunlight; very little resistance to oil; gasoline and hydrocarbon solvents.

Natural rubber is a low cost material with excellent physical properties.  Generally speaking it is ideal for applications that require good resistance to abrasion, gouging and cut growth. It is tough and long wearing and can be compounded for service at temperatures as low as -65°F.

• Advantages: Outstanding resilience; high tensile strength; superior resistance to tear and abrasion; excellent rebound elasticity (snap); good flexibility at low temperatures; excellent adhesion to fabric and metals.
• Limitations: Poor resistance to heat; ozone and sunlight; very little resistance to oil; gasoline and hydrocarbon solvents.

Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR rubber) is, depending on the ACN (Acetonitrile)

concentration, resistant to oil, fuel, and other chemicals. The more ACN within the polymer, the higher the resistance to oils. NBR also shows good aging properties as well as good abrasion resistance.In applications where your gasket is in contact with oil or gas,

Something important to keep in mind when using nitrile in an application, is that the level of acrylonitrile affects the gasket’s low temperature resistance. A nitrile high in acrylonitrile has poor low temperature resistance. While nitrile rubber has superior resistance to oil and gas, it is not the most weather resistance material and is best for enclosed applications.

• Excellent wear resistance
• Good resistance to oils, fuels and chemicals
• Temperature range from –20 °C to +100 °C
• Special compounds flexible down to –55 °C

Neoprene is an excellent all-purpose elastomer with a nearly ideal balance of properties and few practical limitations. General purpose neoprenes are classified in two groups; a sulfur-modified type and a mercaptan-modified type. Sulfur-modified neoprene has increased tear strength and resilience and mercaptan-modified neoprene is superior in resistance to heat and compression set.

• Advantages: Good inherent flame resistance; moderate resistance to oil and gasoline; excellent adhesion to fabrics and metals; very good resistance to weather, ozone, and natural aging; good resistance to abrasion and flex cracking; very good resistance to alkalis and acids.
• Limitations: Poor to fair resistance to aromatic and oxygenated solvents; limited flexibility to low temperatures.

Nitrile is a high-volume oil-resistant elastomer. Nitrile is superior to neoprene in resistance to oil, gasoline, and aromatic solvents. However, it does not perform as well as neoprene in applications requiring exposure to weather, ozone, and sunlight. Furthermore, it has no inherent flame resistance.

•  Advantages: Very good resistance to oil and gasoline; superior resistance to petroleum-based hydraulic fluids; wide range of service temperatures (-65 to 300°F); good resistance to hydrocarbon solvents; very good resistance to alkalis and acids.
• Limitations: Inferior resistance to ozone, sunlight, and natural aging; poor resistance to oxygenated solvents.

SBR is much like natural rubber in most of its properties and is the lowest cost and highest volume elastomer available. Although the physical properties are slightly poorer than those of natural rubber, SBR is tougher and slightly more resistant to heat and flex cracking and can be readily substituted for natural rubber in many applications with significant cost savings.

• Advantages: Excellent impact strength, very good resilience, tensile strength, abrasion resistance and flexibility at low temperatures.
• Limitations: Poor resistance to ozone and sunlight; very little resistance to oil; gasoline and hydrocarbon solvents.

The most outstanding feature of silicone is its ability to retain rubbery properties through extremes in temperature.  It is the most heat-resisting elastomer in the market today and the most flexible at low temperatures. Service temperatures range from -150 to 500°F. Silicone generally does not have high tensile strength, but much of the strength it does have can be retained at very high temperatures. Because silicone is relatively expensive, it is not normally used unless extreme temperature resistance is essential.

• Advantages: Outstanding resistance to high heat; excellent flexibility at low temperatures; low compression set; very good electrical insulation; excellent resistance to weather, ozone, sunlight, and oxidation; superior color stability.
• Limitations: Poor resistance to abrasion, tear, and cut growth; low tensile strength; inferior resistance to oil, gasoline, and solvents; poor resistance to alkalis and acids.

NSF/ANSI Standard 61 establishes health-related requirements that regulate drinking water supplies. NSF/ANSI 61 sets health effects criteria for many water system components including plumbing, process media, protective barrier materials, rubber seals and gaskets and more used in potable water systems.

Grand River Rubber & Plastics has an EPDM material that is compliant to the NSF 61 Standards. The material is available in durometers of 50, 60 70, and 80. This material has also been tested and approved to the highest temperature rating of 82°C, and works well in hot water applications.

Grand River Rubber & Plastics  has extensive knowledge and practical experience with food grade components. We are the only Lathe Cut Gasket Manufacturer recognized on the FDA’s Interstate Milk Shippers (IMS) List and have a dedicated white cell room for food grade component production.