Questions?
Technical Information
Elastomer/Rubber types used at R&R (and some commonly used names, trade names, and abbreviations):
Many years of common usage have blurred the terms elastomer and rubber. Elastomer is more commonly used with engineers, chemists and designers, as it breaks out into specific sub-categories that they use quite often: Thermoset (our type) and thermoplastic (not our type). Within our type of thermoset elastomers, there are hundreds and thousands of recipe variations in use today, developed over many years as petroleum based chemicals have been refined and processed in greater variety. The term Rubber (natural rubber, gum rubber) may refer to the Latex from the rubber tree, and modified with chemicals and processes (i.e. Charles Goodyear in 1849 England) or simply smoke cured (i.e. the Mayan football game balls before Columbus). Here are some common names and trade names, followed by letter abbreviations that may be found in ASTM D2000, Mil-R-3065, Mil-Std-417, and AMS-R type military and industrial specification systems in use today:
- Fluoroelastomer, fluorocarbon, FKM, HK, FPM, Dupont Viton TM, Dyneon Fluorel TM)
- Nitrile-Buna, Buna-N, NBR, BF, BG, CH, SB)
- Styrene Butadiene Rubber, SBR, GR-S, Buna-S, RS, R, AA, BA
- Butadiene, polybutadiene, BR
- Urethane-millable, polyether, polyester, PU, AU, EU
- Hypalon, chlosulfonated polyethylene, CSM, CE
- Butyl, , Isobutylene-isoprene, IIR, AA, BA, RS, R
- Neoprene TM, chloroprene, polychloroprene, CR, BC, BE, SC
- Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, EPDM, EPR, EPT, CA, BA
- Silicone, polysiloxane, Si, FC, FE, GE, TA
- Fluorosilicone, FK, FS
- Polyacrylate, Acrylate, ACM, DH
- Natural Rubber, Rubber, Gum, Natural Polyisoprene, NR, RS, R, AA
- Isoprene, synthetic polyisoprene, IR
- Aflas TM
- Epichlorohydrin
- Vamac TM
- Chlorinated Polyetheylene
- Crosslinked Polyethylene
- Perfluoroelastomer
Many of the above Elastomers:
- May be INTERNALLY LUBRICATED using PTFE, Teflon TM, graphite, Molydinum, Kenamide TM for reduced friction, anti-stick properties.
- May be Engineered as electrically conductive, non-conductive, or for anti-static dissipation characteristics.
- May be engineered for Non- crazing and/or No Deleterious Effects on ABS-plastics.
How to properly store rubber parts to maximize shelf life:
Ultraviolet light and ozone cause the most damage to rubber parts in storage. They should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place, away from direct sunlight. When properly stored, elastomers have been known to shelf age for long periods of time without losing their physical properties. The chart below indicates the generally accepted age resistance of various materials.
| 2-5 Years | 5-10 Years | 10-20 Years |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|