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Roller Selection Guides

Pick the base polymer by whichever requirement matters most on the job — strength, ageing, chemical resistance, or cost.

Polymer Selector By Physical Properties By Aged Properties By Solvent Resistance By Aqueous Resistance By Relative Cost

Polymer Selector

Polymer selector

Pick what matters most for your roller, then what matters next. We'll show which base polymers suit that combination, best first.

  1. Best choice Natural rubber (NR), Styrene butadiene rubber (SBR)
  2. Second choice Ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), Butyl (IIR)
  3. Third choice Polybutadiene (BR)

By Physical Properties

Base Polymer Selection Guide
Physical Properties
Polymer Type + Code Hardness Range (Shore A) Low Service Temp (°F) High Service Temp (°F) Abrasion Strength Resilience (Rebound)
Natural Rubber NR 20 to 100 A -75 +200 to +250 E G to E E
Polyisoprene IR 30 to 100 A -60 +180 E G to E E
Styrene Butadiene Rubber SBR 30 to 100 A -75 +250 E F to E P to E
Polybutadiene Rubber BR 45 to 95 A -150 +200 E G to E F to E
Ethylene Propylene Rubber EPDM 20 to 100 A -75 +350 G to E G to E F to VG
Butyl IIR 30 to 100 A -75 +300 F to G G P to F
Butadiene Acrylonitrile (Nitrile) NBR 20 to 100 A -40 to -70 +250 to +300 G to E G to E G
Polychloroprene (Neoprene) CR 20 to 100 A -80 +275 VG to E G to E VG
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (Hypalon®) CSM 30 to 100 A -65 +275 to +300 VG to E F to G F to G
Polyurethane AU, EU 30 to 100 A -65 +250 E to O E P to VG
Epichlorhydrin CO, ECO 20 to 100 A -15 to -80 +225 to +325 F to G F to E G to VG
Carboxylated Nitrile XNBR 20 to 100 A -40 +250 to +300 VG to E G to E G
Hydrogenated Nitrile HNBR 55 to 100 A -40 +350 E to O F to G G
Silicone SI 30 to 100 A -175 +600 P to G P to G G to E
Polysulfide (Thiokol) T 20 to 100 A -50 to -75 +250 P to F P to F P to F
Fluoroelastomers (Viton®) FMK 50 to 95 A -20 to -70 +550 to +650 G P to E G
Polyacrylate ACM 40 to 90 A -40 +400 P to F P to G F to G
Nitrile / PVC blend NBR/PVC 20 to 100 A -30 +250 VG to E G to E P to G

All properties listed above for a particular polymer may not be available in a single compound.

Hypalon® and Viton® are the registered trademarks of DuPont Dow Elastomers.

By Aged Properties

Base Polymer Selection Guide
Aged Properties
Polymer Type + Code Compression Set Flex Cracking Sunlight (UV) Ozone Heat
Natural Rubber NR E E P P F to G
Polyisoprene IR E E P P F to G
Styrene Butadiene Rubber SBR G to E G P P G
Polybutadiene Rubber BR G F to E P P F to G
Ethylene Propylene Rubber EPDM P to G G to VG O G to E G to O
Butyl IIR P to G G to E E E G to E
Butadiene Acrylonitrile (Nitrile) NBR G to E G P P to F G
Polychloroprene (Neoprene) CR P to G G to VG G to VG VG to E G to E
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (Hypalon®) CSM P to F F to VG E to O E to O G to E
Polyurethane AU, EU P to G G to E VG to E E G
Epichlorhydrin CO, ECO G to E VG G G to E F to G
Carboxylated Nitrile XNBR G to E G P P to F G
Hydrogenated Nitrile HNBR G to E G G to VG G to E E
Silicone SI G to E F to G E E to O E to O
Polysulfide (Thiokol) T P to F P to G G G to E F to G
Fluoroelastomers (Viton®) FMK G to E G G to O O O
Polyacrylate ACM P to F F to G G to E G to E E
Nitrile / PVC blend NBR / PVC F to G G G to E G to E F to G

Hypalon® and Viton® are the registered trademarks of DuPont Dow Elastomers.

By Solvent Resistance

Base Polymer Selection Guide
Resistance to Solvents
Polymer Type + Code Oil & Grease Aliphatic Aromatic Oxygenated Halogenated
Natural Rubber NR P P P F to G P
Polyisoprene IR P P P G P
Styrene Butadiene Rubber SBR P P P P to G P
Polybutadiene Rubber BR P P P G P
Ethylene Propylene Rubber EPDM P P P G to E P
Butyl IIR P P P P to E P
Butadiene Acrylonitrile (Nitrile) NBR E G to E F to G P P to F
Polychloroprene (Neoprene) CR G P to G P to F P to F P
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (Hypalon®) CSM G to E F to G F P P
Polyurethane AU, EU G to E G to E P to F P F to G
Epichlorhydrin CO, ECO E G to E G to E F E
Carboxylated Nitrile XNBR E G to E F to G P P to F
Hydrogenated Nitrile HNBR E G to E P to F P P to F
Silicone SI P P to F P P P
Polysulfide (Thiokol) T G to E E G G F
Fluoroelastomers (Viton®) FMK E E G to E P VG
Polyacrylate ACM E E P to G P P to G
Nitrile / PVC blend NBR / PVC E E F to G P P to F

Example Fluids

Aliphatic hydrocarbons
kerosene, gasoline, naphtha, hexane, mineral spirits, printing inks, lubricants, and greases
Aromatic hydrocarbons
toluene, xylene
Halogenated
methylene chloride, per/trichlorethylene
Oxygenated
ketones, MEK, MIBK, acetone

Hypalon® and Viton® are the registered trademarks of DuPont Dow Elastomers.

By Aqueous Resistance

Base Polymer Selection Guide
Resistance to Aqueous Fluids
Polymer Type + Code Water Acid Bases / Alkalis Alcohol Esters Glycols
Natural Rubber NR E F to G G G to E P to G VG
Polyisoprene IR E F to G F to G G to E P to G VG
Styrene Butadiene Rubber SBR G to E F to G F to G G to E P to G VG
Polybutadiene Rubber BR E F to G F to G F to G P to F VG
Ethylene Propylene Rubber EPDM E E E G to E F to E VG to E
Butyl IIR G to E G G to E VG P to G VG to E
Butadiene Acrylonitrile (Nitrile) NBR G to E F to G P to G F to VG P to F VG to E
Polychloroprene (Neoprene) CR F to G G to E P to G G to E P to G VG to E
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (Hypalon®) CSM G G to E G to E E F to G VG
Polyurethane AU, EU AU=P, EU=G P to F P G P to F P to F
Epichlorhydrin CO, ECO G P to F F G P to F G to VG
Carboxylated Nitrile XNBR G to E F to G G G to E P VG
Hydrogenated Nitrile HNBR E G to E G to E E P to F VG
Silicone SI E F to G F to E G G VG
Polysulfide (Thiokol) T G P to G P to G G to VG G VG
Fluoroelastomers (Viton®) FMK E G to E P to G G P to F VG to E
Polyacrylate ACM P to F P to F F P to G P to F P
Nitrile / PVC NBR/PVC G to E G G E P to F G

Example Fluids

Acids
acetic, boric, hydrochloric, nitric, phosphoric
Bases
alkalis, caustics, calcium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, lye
Alcohols
ethyl, isopropyl, methyl
Esters
ethyl acetate, cellosolve, dioctylphthalate, tricresyl phosphate
Glycols
diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, glycerine

Hypalon® and Viton® are the registered trademarks of DuPont Dow Elastomers.

By Relative Cost

Base Polymer Selection Guide
Relative Cost †
Polymer Type + Code Relative Cost Usage (Rank)
Natural Rubber NR 1.0 (Par) 4
Polyisoprene IR 2.4 --
Styrene Butadiene Rubber SBR 1.3 5
Polybutadiene Rubber BR 1.8 --
Ethylene Propylene Rubber EPDM 3.2 2
Butyl IIR 2.7 --
Butadiene Acrylonitrile (Nitrile) NBR 2.5 1 (*all types)
Polychloroprene (Neoprene) CR 4.1 3
Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (Hypalon®) CSM 4.4 6
Polyurethane AU, EU 10.9 7
Epichlorhydrin CO, ECO 6.8 10
Carboxylated Nitrile XNBR 3.9 *
Hydrogenated Nitrile HNBR 20.0 *
Silicone SI 8.5 9
Polysulfide (Thiokol) T 12.0 --
Fluoroelastomers (Viton®) FMK 44.0 8
Polyacrylate ACM 7.2 --
Nitrile / PVC blend NBR / PVC 2.8 *

† Based on raw polymer costs taken from Rubber World, February 2001 raw material list prices.

Hypalon® and Viton® are the registered trademarks of DuPont Dow Elastomers.

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