Nitrile Rubber
Nitrile Synthetic Rubber Materials
Offering Stability and Resilience for Your Sealing Application
If you need a synthetic rubber material that can resist fuel, oil, and other chemicals as well as maintain its stability at high temperatures, consider nitrile. You may wonder if nitrile is the same as rubber: The answer is that nitrile rubber is more resistant and stronger than natural rubber.
Nitrile, also known as Buna-N or NBR (nitrile butadiene rubber) is a type of synthetic rubber that is made from a combination of acrylonitrile and butadiene molecules. The content of the material will vary depending on the level of acrylonitrile in your finished seal, O-ring, or gasket. Most applications use a mid-range level of acrylonitrile to offer strong elasticity and increased resistance to compression. If you are interested in using nitrile for your sealing solutions, please reach out to NCS to learn more.
The Benefits of Nitrile Rubber
Strong Thermal Resistance, Cold Tolerance, and Wear Resistance
Nitrile rubber may not be the right choice for every application but it does offer a number of benefits. For example, if you work in the automotive industry, nitrile does well with exposure to propane, butane, petroleum oil, diesel fuel, and other oils and greases. However, it should not be used with highly aromatic fuels or glycol-based fluids, like brake fluid.
Nitrile’s general benefits include the following:
- Resistance to weathering and ozone
- Thermal resistance up to 212° F/100° C
- Cold resistance between -30° F and -70° F
Avoid the use of nitrile if your application includes any of the following:
- Highly aromatic fuels (contact our team for custom flex fuel requirements)
- Benzene
- Trichloroethylene
- Ketone, acetone, acetic acid, and ethylene ester
- Strong acids (like HCI or HI)
- Glycol-based fluids (like brake fluid)
- Ozone, weather, and atmospheric conditions
If you are interested in using high-performing synthetic rubber materials for your next project, reach out to our team. We are experts in custom rubber products and will work hard to meet your budget, timeline, and specifications.