All the Rubber Products We Manage Detail Explained

Rubber materials or elastomers used in sealing applications are often described as rubber compounds; meaning that they are a mixture of ingredients manufactured under specific conditions.

A compound typically comprises a polymer (often referred to as the ‘’material), cross-link or curing system, fillers and other ingredients used to achieve specific manufacturing-, application- or cost requirements.

Different circumstances demand various compound properties. That is why so many compounds have already been developed for a wide variety of industries, such as chemical industry, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, drinking water, gas distribution, semiconductor, flue gas, hydrogen, etc.

Compound Development

At Rubber Mexico, we develop custom rubber compounds to meet your specific needs, customizing compounds to your hardness, color, strength, environmental resistance needs and much more. 

We have a fully equipped rubber compound development and testing laboratory in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

VMQ - Silicone Rubber

Is an elastomeric material made from silicone, oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. VMQ stands for Vinyl Methyl Quartz but is also described as MVQ. The names VMQ, MVQ, and silicone, all refer to the same material.

Silicones are known for their extreme high-temperature resistance, low-temperature flexibility and good resistance to UV, oxygen, and ozone. A significant advantage of silicones is that they can be filled easily with different additives to create special silicone types with good electrical or thermal conductivity, flame resistance, etc.

Physical & Mechanical Properties

• Hardness Range: 20 – 90 Shore A
• Tensile Strength Range: 200 – 1,500 PSI
• Elongation (Range %): 100% – 900%
• Abrasion Resistance: Poor to Good
• Adhesion to Metal: Good
• Adhesion to Rigid Materials: Good
• Compression Set: Good to Excellent
• Flex Cracking Resistance: Poor to Good
• Impact Resistance: Poor to Good
• Resilience / Rebound: Good to Excellent
• Tear Resistance: Poor to Good
• Vibration Dampening: Fair to Good

Environmental Performance

• Colorability: Excellent
• Flame Resistance: Fair to Excellent
• Gas Permeability: Poor to Fair
• Odor: Good
• Ozone Resistance: Excellent
• Oxidation Resistance: Excellent
• Radiation Resistance: Poor to Good
• Steam Resistance: Fair to Good
• Sunlight Resistance: Excellent
• Taste Retention: Good to Excellent
• Weather Resistance: Excellent
• Water Resistance: Excellent

EPDM - Ethylene Propylene Rubber

Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) is a versatile terpolymer synthetic rubber. EPDM has a high acceptance in the sealing industry due to its wide temperature range, as well as its excellent resistance against aging and weathering, steam, and a wide range of chemicals.

EPDM is available in general industry types, and also in specific types for industries such as food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, and potable water.

Physical & Mechanical Properties

• Hardness Range: 30 – 90 Shore A
• Tensile Strength Range: 500 – 2,500 PSI
• Elongation (Range %): 100% – 700%
• Abrasion Resistance: Good
• Adhesion to Metal: Good to Excellent
• Adhesion to Rigid Materials: Good to Excellent
• Compression Set: Poor to Excellent
• Flex Cracking Resistance: Good
• Impact Resistance: Very Good
• Resilience / Rebound: Fair to Good
• Tear Resistance: Fair to Good
• Vibration Dampening: Fair to Good

Environmental Performance

• Colorability: Good to Excellent
• Flame Resistance: Poor
• Gas Permeability: Fair to Good
• Odor: Good
• Ozone Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Oxidation Resistance: Excellent
• Radiation Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Steam Resistance: Excellent
• Sunlight Resistance: Excellent
• Taste Retention: Good to Excellent
• Weather Resistance: Excellent
• Water Resistance: Excellent

NBR - Nitrile Rubber

NBR or nitrile, also known as Buna-N, is the most commonly used elastomer in the seal industry. It is a copolymer of two monomers; acrylonitrile (ACN) and butadiene. This specific copolymer is also referred to as acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, emphasizing its two main components. NBR, which stands for Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, is the standard material for hydraulics and pneumatics.

Physical & Mechanical Properties

• Hardness Range: 20 – 95 Shore A
• Tensile Strength Range: 200 – 3,500 PSI
• Elongation (Range %): 350% – 650%
• Abrasion Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Adhesion to Metal: Excellent
• Adhesion to Rigid Materials: Good to Excellent
• Compression Set: Good to Excellent
• Flex Cracking Resistance: Fair to Good
• Impact Resistance: Fair to Good
• Resilience / Rebound: Good
• Tear Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Vibration Dampening: Fair to Good

Environmental Performance

• Colorability: Excellent
• Flame Resistance: Poor
• Gas Permeability: Fair to Excellent
• Odor: Good
• Ozone Resistance: Fair to Good
• Oxidation Resistance: Good
• Radiation Resistance: Fair to Good
• Steam Resistance: Fair to Good
• Sunlight Resistance: Poor to Good
• Taste Retention: Fair to Good
• Weather Resistance: Fair to Good
• Water Resistance: Good to Excellent

SBR - Styrene Butadiene Rubber

Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) — also known as red rubber — is a synthetic copolymer of styrene and butadiene with characteristics that are very similar to those of natural rubber. It makes an excellent gasket material due to its good physical properties, such as tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and low-temperature flexibility.

Physical & Mechanical Properties

• Hardness Range: 30 – 95 Shore A
• Tensile Strength Range: 500 – 3,000 PSI
• Elongation (Range %): 450% – 600%
• Abrasion Resistance: Excellent
• Adhesion to Metal: Excellent
• Adhesion to Rigid Materials: Excellent
• Compression Set: Good to Excellent
• Flex Cracking Resistance: Good
• Impact Resistance: Excellent
• Resilience / Rebound: Good
• Tear Resistance: Fair to Excellent
• Vibration Dampening: Fair to Good

Environmental Performance

• Colorability: Good
• Flame Resistance: Poor
• Gas Permeability: Fair
• Odor: Good
• Ozone Resistance: Poor
• Oxidation Resistance: Fair to Excellent
• Radiation Resistance: Poor to Good
• Steam Resistance: Fair to Good
• Sunlight Resistance: Poor
• Taste Retention: Fair to Good
• Weather Resistance: Fair to Good
• Water Resistance: Good to Excellent

FKM - Fluorocarbon Rubber

Fluorine Kautschuk Material (FKM) is related to fluorocarbon-based elastomers. FKM polymer is made from vinylidene monomers (VDF) with a high concentration of fluorine and carbon-based monomers. It is commonly called fluorine rubber or fluoro-rubber. FKM and FPM are interchangeable abbreviations that often refer to the same family of fluorocarbon-based materials.

Fluorocarbon elastomers have grown to major importance in the sealing industry. Due to its wide range of chemical compatibility, temperature range, low compression set, and excellent aging characteristics, fluorocarbon rubber is one of the most significant single elastomers developed in recent history.

Physical & Mechanical Properties

• Hardness Range: 50 – 95 Shore A
• Tensile Strength Range: 500 – 2,000 PSI
• Elongation (Range %): 400% – 500%
• Abrasion Resistance: Fair to Good
• Adhesion to Metal: Good to Excellent
• Adhesion to Rigid Materials: Fair to Good
• Compression Set: Good to Excellent
• Flex Cracking Resistance: Fair to Good
• Impact Resistance: Good
• Resilience / Rebound: Poor to Fair
• Tear Resistance: Fair to Good
• Vibration Dampening: Fair to Good

Environmental Performance

• Colorability: Good to Excellent
• Flame Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Gas Permeability: Good to Excellent
• Odor: Good
• Ozone Resistance: Excellent
• Oxidation Resistance: Excellent
• Radiation Resistance: Fair to Good
• Steam Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Sunlight Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Taste Retention: Fair to Good
• Weather Resistance: Excellent
• Water Resistance: Excellent

CR - Neoprene Rubber

Neoprene, also known as polychloroprene, is one of the first synthetic rubber products ever made. It is stronger and harder than natural rubber and more resistant to water, oils and solvents. The terms polychloroprene and neoprene are interchangeable, both referring to the same family of synthetic rubbers produced by the polymerization of chloroprene

Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that is less sensitive to temperature changes than natural rubber, which can become brittle in cold weather and sticky in hot weather. Neoprene can also be made stronger, more resistant to heat, oil, solvents and water through vulcanization.

Physical & Mechanical Properties

• Durometer or Hardness Range: 20 – 95 Shore A
• Tensile Strength Range: 500 – 3,000 PSI
• Elongation (Range %): 100% – 800%
• Abrasion Resistance: Very Good to Excellent
• Adhesion to Metal: Excellent
• Adhesion to Rigid Materials: Good to Excellent
• Compression Set: Poor to Good
• Flex Cracking Resistance: Good
• Impact Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Resilience / Rebound: Fair to Good
• Tear Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Vibration Dampening: Good to Excellent

Environmental Performance

• Colorability: Fair
• Flame Resistance: Fair to Good
• Gas Permeability: Fair to Good
• Odor: Fair to Good
• Ozone Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Oxidation Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Radiation Resistance: Fair to Good
• Steam Resistance: Fair to Good
• Sunlight Resistance: Good to Excellent
• Taste Retention: Fair to Good
• Weather Resistance: Fair to Good
• Water Resistance: Fair to Good

FVMQ - Fluorosilicone Rubber

FVMQ stands for FluoroVinyi Methyl Silicone Rubber or Fluorosilicone and is a type of silicone rubber known for its resistance to oils, fuels, and other chemicals, while also maintaining good low-temperature flexibility. It's similar to standard silicone (VMQ) but with improved chemical resistance, especially to hydrocarbon fuels and oils.

Physical & Mechanical Properties

• Durometer or Hardness Range: 35 – 80 Shore A
• Tensile Strength Range: 200 – 1,500 PSI
• Elongation (Range %): 100% – 480%
• Abrasion Resistance: Poor
• Adhesion to Metal: Good
• Adhesion to Rigid Materials: Fair to Good
• Compression Set: Fair to Good
• Flex Cracking Resistance: Poor to Good
• Impact Resistance: Poor to Good
• Resilience / Rebound: Poor to Fair
• Tear Resistance: Poor to Good
• Vibration Dampening: Good

Environmental Performance

• Colorability: Good to Excellent
• Flame Resistance: Excellent
• Gas Permeability: Poor to Good
• Odor: Good
• Ozone Resistance: Excellent
• Oxidation Resistance: Excellent
• Radiation Resistance: Fair to Excellent
• Steam Resistance: Fair
• Sunlight Resistance: Excellent
• Taste Retention: Good
• Weather Resistance: Excellent
• Water Resistance: Excellent

 

 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. Or contact us at email sales2@rubber-mexico.com