What is EPDM Rubber?
The scientific term for this particular type of rubber is ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). In a nutshell, this means EPDM is a synthetic rubber polymer (a long chain of molecules) made of ethylene (a hydrocarbon gas), propylene (also a hydrocarbon gas) and diene monomers (various carbon-based molecules).
The chemical makeup of EPDM rubber is irrelevant to most people who aren’t material scientists, but its details, adaptability, and unique man-made enhancements set EPDM apart from other rubbers.
The DuPont chemical company was the first to refine and mass-produce EPDM rubber in the 1960s, and it became one of the most widely used synthetic rubbers around. EPDM evolved after the synthetic rubber boom of the 1940s surrounding World War II, but its creation was a response to industry demands for a rubber that was more adaptable to chemical, acid, and gas systems.
EPDM rubber is only one of many rubbers to answer these types of application challenges, but it continues to be one of the most versatile and useful.
EPDM rubber might not ring a bell if you’re not in the rubber manufacturing game, but the importance of EPDM can’t be understated. This synthetic elastomer is one of the 20th Century’s most influential rubber innovations, which is why EPDM is still used widely around the world.
EPDM’s temperature tolerances, abrasion resistance, and weatherproof properties make it an ideal rubber for outdoor applications. It’s an exceptional insulator and noise/vibration dampener, so it’s perfect for a number of practical automotive and commercial applications.
Traditional applications as well as modern EPDM innovations are why rubber experts like AirBoss—manufacturing industry leaders with decades of experience working with EPDM rubber—are uniquely positioned to provide EPDM solutions.
Common EPDM Rubber Properties and Unique Application Uses
EPDM rubbers are often used for their long lifespans. EPDM is sometimes referred to as a “crackless rubber” because of its tear resistance. This and a number of other natural rubber improvements keep manufacturers coming back to the EPDM well.
Common EPDM Rubber Properties
Like most synthetic rubbers, EPDM improves upon several properties inherent to natural rubber. Manufacturers may choose between natural rubber and EPDM (or other synthetic rubbers like styrene-based rubber or nitrile-based rubber) for their desired properties that depend on factors like application, cost, material availability, practical effectiveness, and more.
Common rubber properties that are enhanced by EPDM include but are not limited to:
- Easy adhesion
- Enhanced tear resistance
- High tensile strength
- Low compression set
- Water resistance
- Cutting and chipping resiliency
- Temperature tolerances
- Electrical insulation
Unique EPDM Rubber Properties
EPDM rubber has high heat, light, and ozone exposure resistances, which make it an ideal material for use cases that require high tolerances in these areas. EPDM rubbers are common in construction and automotive applications because they hold up better than other natural and synthetic options.
In fact, EPDM rubbers have been proven to not deteriorate even after prolonged exposure to sunlight and high ozone concentrations. This makes them the rubber of choice for many outdoor material suppliers.
Unique EPDM rubber properties include but are not limited to:
- Has exceptional sunlight and ozone resistance
- Has low- and high-temperature tolerances beyond other synthetic rubbers
- Weathers and ages better than natural and other synthetic rubbers
- Is more easily processed than other rubbers
- Resists water-based chemicals
- Resists steam and water
- Resists mild organic and inorganic acids
- Resists liquid fertilizers and synthetic brake fluids
- Does not discolor or stain other materials
The Most Common EPDM Applications
EPDM can be found almost everywhere and some of the most common applications for EPDM rubber include but are not limited to:
- Commercial roofing (sealants and shingles)
- Automotive (weather stripping, gaskets, membranes, hoses, electrical insulators)
- Mechanical engineering (extruded and molded rubber parts)
- Industrial (water system O-rings, wire, and cable connectors)
- HVAC (tubing, grommets, insulation)
EPDM may have joined the synthetic rubber family relatively late in the game compared to other early innovations, but its impact is undeniable. EPDM rubbers are perfect for a number of outdoor and fluid-based systems, making them some of the most widely used rubbers on the market.
Have a unique rubber challenge? Need professional insight?
AirBoss is Your EPDM Expert
Our job at AirBoss is to work with the most widely used rubbers on the market and to continue to innovate, enhance, test, and implement never-before-seen rubber solutions. Our material scientists are hard at work to push the limits of what materials like EPDM can do—both traditionally and thinking toward the future—which makes AirBoss the rubber partner for pioneers in evolving sectors like hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturing, as well as healthcare and defense.
We want to turn your rubber challenges into material opportunities. So, contact our rubber experts today, and we’ll make sure EPDM is only one of the exceptional rubbers at your disposal!