Rubber material properties determine the usefulness of an elastomer for your sealing application. Part 1 of this Sealing Material Selection Guide covered basic requirements and introduced some commonly used rubber materials. Now that you’re familiar with some of your options, it’s time to evaluate their specific properties to see if they align with your application requirements.
Getting this right is an important part of achieving reliable and long-lasting seals. By understanding your application requirements and knowing what properties are essential to your application, you can make an informed decision.
How to Evaluate Rubber Material Properties
The table below lists rubber material properties and explains what to consider for your application.
Material Property Description Temperature Resistance Determine if the rubber material can withstand the expected range of temperatures without losing its sealing properties. Rubber materials can get hard and brittle at low temperatures. Chemical Compatibility Verify that the rubber material is resistant to the chemicals it will encounter. Chemical compatibility prevents degradation and swelling. Compression Set Assess the material’s ability to recover its original shape after compression. Excessive compression set can lead to seal failure over time. Hardness Select the durometer (hardness) that provides the appropriate level of sealing for your application. For more stringent applications, consider putting tolerance windows on modulus to more accurately specify the stiffness of the material.
How to Get Help with Rubber Material Selection
Do you need moulded rubber parts or products? For more information on rubber moulding and the ways in which we can help, contact Kea-Flex today on 01420 473 645
The post Sealing Material Selection Guide: Rubber Material Properties (Part 2) first appeared on The Rubber Group.
