Rubber comes in all shapes and sizes. It is made from an array of natural and synthetic materials and designed to withstand the daily challenges that industrial and domestic applications throw at it. Each type of rubber material, both natural and synthetic, demonstrates very distinct properties. This means that it’s perfectly suited to some applications, whilst simultaneously making it a poor choice for others. Read on to find out more about the different types of rubber available on the market, and the top 20 uses of rubber that most of us come into contact with, every single day.
What are the different types of rubber?
Rubber comes in many forms, with some being naturally created and others coming from laboratories. There are 8 main types of rubber. All types are used every single day and include:
Natural Rubber
Derived from the milky liquid that is found in the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, natural rubber has a number of key characteristics. This makes it suitable for use in adhesives, flooring and roofing, gloves, insulation, and tires. This is because natural rubber has a high tear and tensile strength, as well as resilience and resistance to abrasion, friction, temperatures, and water swell.
Neoprene Rubber
Also referred to as chloroprene, neoprene is one of the oldest and best-recognised types of synthetic rubber. Compared with other types of synthetic rubber, and even natural rubber itself, neoprene has an exceptionally low susceptibility to:
- burning
- corrosion
- degradation
As a result of this, neoprene is the perfect base for adhesives and corrosion-resistant coatings. It is also suitable for use in vehicles due to its suitability for use in high-pressure gaskets and belts as well as window and door seals.
Silicone Rubber
This type of rubber has a number of key advantages that make it well suited for use in tough environments. Silicone rubber is known for its malleability, biocompatibility, and resistance to extreme environments. This means that silicone is able to stand up to extreme temperatures, fire, ozone, and ultraviolet radiation.
Silicone is known for being versatile and is available in both solid and liquid forms in a variety of colours. Its chemically inert nature makes it ideal for use in parts and products that require the rubber to be biocompatible; such as gloves, respiratory masks, implants, and medical products. Additionally, silicone is known for being able to withstand chemical degradation, such as food containers and personal care products.
Nitrile Rubber
Nitrile rubber is perfectly suited to mechanical and chemical applications thanks to its high level of resistance to compression, heat, oil and gas, and wear. As a result of this, nitrile rubber works well in automotive gaskets and seals, O-rings, and engine hoses.
Surgical gloves are often also manufactured from nitrile rubber due to their hypo-allergenic nature when compared to latex-based rubbers.
EPDM Rubber
Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber is a synthetic rubber that has excellent levels of durability. EPDM is able to resist the damage and degradation that this rubber material faces from extreme temperatures and weather conditions.
As a result of these features and benefits, it is well suited for use in outdoor parts and products, including:
- roofing sealants
- hoses
- seals
Styrene-Butadiene Rubber
Styrene-Butadiene rubber, also known as SBR, is a synthetic rubber that is a copolymer product made of styrene and butadiene.
Thanks to its copolymer nature, SBR is known for its hardness and durability. Thanks to these features, it demonstrates better abrasion, alcohol, compression set, and water swell resistance than other synthetic rubbers. This is what makes it so well suited to the manufacture of seals, boards, and shoe soles.
Butyl Rubber
Butyl rubber has one of the highest levels of gas impermeability. When combined with the materials’ excellent flexibility, this makes butyl perfectly suited to the manufacture of airtight components, such as inner tubes and seals.
In its liquid form, butyl can also be used as an additive in diesel and petrol, as well as a useful addition to chewing gum.
Fluorosilicone Rubber
Fluorosilicone rubber, which is also referred to as FVMQ, is highly resistant to extreme temperatures, transmissions fluids, petroleum oils and fuels, synthetic lubricants, fire, and ozone.
As a result of these properties, FVMQ is perfect for use in aircraft fuel systems and specialist industrial applications.
Top 20 uses of rubber
So, now that we know more about the various types of rubber available to us, either synthetic or natural rubber, and the way in which these rubber types can be used to create a variety of rubber products. Read on to find out about the top 20 uses for rubber.
Tyres
Nowadays, car types are made of up to 50% natural rubber, whilst tyres for aircraft are made from 100% natural rubber. This is because natural rubber is far superior for making tyres due to the ‘radial’ design of tyres.
Car Seals
Natural rubber is also often used to create a number of other items for cars, such as seals and gaskets, whilst also creating the padding needed for windscreens and windows.
Car Airbags
Rubber is used in the manufacture of airbags that are designed to protect car drivers and passengers from injury during high-impact accidents.
Flooring
Many commercial facilities, including gyms, commercial kitchens, children’s play areas and even animal rescue centres choose a form of rubber flooring. This is because rubber provides a surface that provides padding, whilst also being slip-resistant and waterproof. Rubber flooring is also easy to maintain and generally proves to be long lasting, which makes it perfect for commercial facilities that need to consider efficiency and durability alongside economical cost-saving efforts.
Adhesives and Coatings
In its liquid latex form, rubber is often used as an adhesive or protective coating for many surfaces due to its high level of durability.
Erasers
In 1770, scientist Joseph Priestly discovered that natural rubber could be used to ‘rub’ away marks made from pencils on paper. This then sparked the invention of the eraser and their widespread use.
Gaskets
A gasket is used to prevent leaks, or fill irregular space, between two or more mechanical parts. This makes them an important part of machinery performance. Natural rubber and a range of synthetic rubbers are often used in this instance in order.
Clothing
Rubber, whilst in its fibrous form, can be used to produce tight-fitting and expandable clothing, such as wetsuits and cycling shorts. Neoprene is well known for its use in wetsuits for a range of watersports such as surfing, but it can also be used to create other sports clothing too.
Moulds
Rubber is often used in the production of moulds for the manufacture of food. For example, chocolates and sweets that come in an array of shapes and sizes are all produced using a rubber mould. The rubber moulds used in food production have to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Rubber Gloves
Many of us opt to keep our hands safe and sanitary whilst cleaning with rubber gloves. These tough and versatile gloves are often made from natural rubber and are designed to protect our hands from an array of germs.
Flotation Devices
Rubber is used in an array of products known as floatation devices, including inner tubes which work to keep objects and people afloat.
Roofing
Rubber, in its liquid latex form, is often used to seal roofing on commercial buildings which use bonding agents to prevent water ingress.
Soundproofing
Rubber can be turned into pads or mounts for machinery that ensures that the vibration of machinery in action does not affect its performance. This also works to prevent unnecessary noise whilst machinery is in operation and therefore works as a great soundproofing device.
Linings
Rubber is often employed as a liner for bins, chutes and mixers that are used on an industrial basis. This is because rubber has a number of natural protective qualities such as being waterproof, resilient and cost-effective.
Shoe Soles
Rubber can also be used to create the sole of a pair of shoes. Due to its hardwearing nature, using rubber to create the sole of a shoe is a great way to ensure that your latest new pair can be used to walk for miles and miles.
Baby Supplies
Rubber is used in a wide variety of ways to create baby products, such as pacifiers and the teets used on baby’s bottles. This is because rubber is incredibly sanitary and easy to clean, whilst also being waterproof.
Hoses
Your standard garden hose will likely be made from rubber. Rubber is naturally waterproof and thanks to its hardwearing nature, it is likely to be able to stand up to the challenge of regular usage before displaying the signs of fatigue.
Conveyor Belts
Rubber sheeting makes the perfect conveyor belt, not only in stores and retail settings, but also to transport items throughout a factory or packing facility.
Balloons
A party isn’t a party without balloons! Rubber is used in its simplest form as latex to manufacture balloons for parties and events.
Toys
Rubber is often used to create toys of all shapes and sizes for both children and animals. From the simple rubber ball, right the way through to dogs chew toys. Rubber is durable and flexible, making it safe for children to play with.
Were you surprised by any of these uses for rubber?
Now you can see that rubber is a very versatile material that is suitable for a wide array of uses. Thanks to its versatile nature, rubber can be used to manufacture just about anything. To find out more about the uses of rubber, and the array of products that can be manufactured with it, why not speak to a rubber moulding expert such as Martin’s Rubber.
