NBR (nitrile) rubber
Nitrile is the industrial workhorse for oil, fuel and hydraulic sealing, with good abrasion resistance. Exonel moulds and extrudes it into O-rings, seals and gaskets for fluid-power, automotive and general industrial use.
Indicative ranges. The exact grade and hardness are matched to your application.
Six base polymers, compared.
Temperature range, hardness and resistance for typical commercial compounds of each polymer. Ratings run from A (excellent) to X (not suitable).
| Material | Temp range (°C) | Hardness (Shore A) | Oil | Fuel | Acid | Base | Water / steam | Ozone / weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicone (VMQ) | −60 to +225 | 20 to 90 | C | D | C | C | B | A |
| EPDM | −45 to +150 | 30 to 90 | X | X | A | A | A | A |
| FKM (Viton-type) | −20 to +200 | 50 to 95 | A | A | A | C | C | A |
| NBR | −40 to +120 | 20 to 100 | A | B | C | B | B | D |
| Neoprene (CR) | −40 to +120 | 15 to 95 | B | C | C | B | B | B |
| SBR | −50 to +100 | 30 to 100 | X | X | C | B | B | D |
Key: A Excellent · B Good · C Fair · D Poor · X Not suitable
Figures are the typical range across commercial compounds. Special grades extend several of these limits: silicone to −117°C and +260°C, FKM to −40°C, NBR to −57°C. Figures are indicative and are confirmed for your application before tooling.
Sources: o-ring.info, Basic properties of elastomers; Mykin Inc, Rubber properties; Delta Rubber, Rubber material comparison guide; GMORS, VMQ silicone (silicone temperature range).
The fluid-power workhorse.
Oil and fuel
Resists mineral oil, fuel and hydraulic fluid.
Abrasion
Wears well in dynamic and high-contact seals.
Value
Strong all-round sealing at moderate cost.
Hardness range
Available across a wide durometer range.
Moulded and extruded.
Moulded
O-rings and gaskets to drawing.
Extruded
Profiles and cords for oil-side sealing.
Where it fits.
Automotive
Fuel-system and ancillary gaskets.
Hydraulics and pneumatics
Fluid-power O-rings and seals.
Industrial OEMs
Oil-resistant gaskets to specification.
Where we would point you elsewhere.
UV, ozone and outdoors
NBR ages badly in sun and ozone. For outdoor use choose EPDM or neoprene.
Common questions
Why is nitrile used for oil and fuel sealing?
Is NBR good outdoors?
What temperature range does NBR handle?
Need an NBR part?
Send your RFQ
Tell us what you need. Fields marked * are required. Everything else helps us recommend the compound.
Exonel Industries makes custom moulded and extruded rubber components in Howrah, Kolkata, West Bengal, and supplies manufacturers across India. We work in six base polymers, Silicone, EPDM, FKM, NBR, Neoprene and SBR, formulated into hundreds of compounds. Compounding, tooling and production are done in-house. Send a drawing, a sample or a specification for a quote.
