Undoubtedly various types of rubber products and strips are available but EPDM rubber strips hold a distinct value. Because of its construction and industrial values, EPDM rubber is one of the most popular rubber types. Impressively, it serves excellent mechanical and physical activity in different applications.

Many manufacturers and dealers greatly demand rubber strips. Right in this article we’ll discuss the facts that make EPDM rubber that good. Discuss what EPDM stands for along with its properties, applications, advantages, and disadvantages. Delve into the article to know everything about EPDM rubber.

What is the full form of EPDM?

Usually, the Ethylene Propylene Diene Monometer is abbreviated as EPDM. It is a synthetic rubber that is named after the materials typically used in its manufacturing. Normally, ethylene, propylene, and diene monomers make up the EPDM rubber. 

A German scientist named, Karl Ziegler won a Nobel Prize for discovering the first example of EPDM. Back in the early 60s, EPDM was first introduced in the U.S. Market and quickly gained popularity due to its beneficial applications.

The composition of EPDM is the copolymer of these three products. However, ethylene content is 45%-75%, and other chemical composition is 3%-9% with a small amount of non-conjugated diene monomer. Mostly, three types of diene monomers are used 1, 4-hexadiene, ethylene norbornene, or dicyclopentadiene. EPDM rubber can tolerate temperatures up to 150°C depending upon its chemical content.

What are EPDM rubber strips?

Typically, EPDM is a type of synthetic rubber primarily known for insulating and sealing purposes. Generally, EPDM rubber strips or sheets are made by shaping and molding the EPDM rubber in industries. Along with specific properties, EPDM rubber strips meet vast product needs merely in construction and manufacturing. 

The polymer composition of these strips makes them ideal for water, temperature, UV, and ozone resistance. Depending upon the type of composition and grade, EPDM rubber strips can withstand temperature extremes from -50°C to 150°C. In case of sealing, they can load the stress from 4Mpa to 25Mpa or 500PSI to 2500PSI. Moreover, EPDM rubber is an excellent electrical insulator and can adapt to hydraulic fluids, hot and chilly water, acids, and alkalis. So, it works incrediblyfor , 

Vast benefits of the rubber profiles

Simply, durability and resistance properties make EPDM rubber strips a quality material that offers vast benefits. Following are the great benefits offered by these magical strips:

Durability

Entirely, EPDM rubber strips are highly durable providing incredible abrasion and tear resistance mostly in machine components. It offers outstanding stability and durability due to which it has a lifespan of more than 100 years. 

Weather resistance

These rubber strips are very well-known for their weather-resistance workouts. However, EPDM rubber strips are also known as weather stripping. As seal strips, they provide favorable applications in doors, windows, and large containers even in any outdoor condition. In addition, EPSM rubber strips are resistant to outdoor aging, UV light, ozone, pollutants, and moisture.

Heat resistance

One of the great jobs of EPDM rubber strips is heat or thermal resistance. Regarding thermal insulation, it can thoroughly provide heat resistance by tolerating temperatures as low as -50°C and as high as 150°C. As a result, EPDM rubber strips used in the machine components can greatly handle specific temperature ranges.

Flexibility

The world’s most versatile rubber material is EPDM rubber which importantly commits great flexibility. Due to its flexibility and elasticity, EPDM rubber can be customized into sheets, and strips by molding, extruding, and die-cutting. Flexibility results in various densities of EPDM rubber that include different shaped and sized bendable strips.

Acid resistance

Exceptionally, EPDM rubber is durable and stable plus it offers anti-corrosive properties. The drains with EPDM rubber strips are more stable in an acidic environment. These are used in chemical tanks in different industries due to their stability against acid. 

Electric insulator

EPDM rubber strips are trendy in electrical services just because they are good electrical insulators. While helping with safety measures, these strips can handle high voltages without losing their properties.

Harmless rubber

Nevertheless, synthetic organic substances are used in the manufacture of EPDM rubber which lowers its toxicity. Ultimately, it makes EPDM a good and safe choice along with fewer odors.

Applications of EPDM rubber strips

Why do manufacturers always look for EPDM? EPDM rubber permits a distinct variety of helpful applications that make it an all-around quality product. Merely, for outdoor applications, it is a favorable component offering good resistant properties. Here are some applications that make EPDM rubber strips a popular product in industries.

HVAC applications

Primarily, HVAC stands for Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. EPDM rubber strips play a vital role in HVAC applications. Why is EPDM an excellent product for HVAC applications? Due to its heat, light, temperature, and weather-resisting properties, EPDM has a great demand in HVAC. 

Also, all houses and apartments extremely require good-quality EPDM rubber strips for air conditioning. In different industries, these strips play a great role in sealing and temperature-resistant uses. Vibration-damping is another great application of EPDM in fans and motors to control extra noise. Compressor and drain tubes also contain EPDM rubber strips. 

Construction

In all construction sites, roofing is a primary application. EPDM is an essential product in these sites due to its waterproofing and insulating features. Tank liners and expansion joints also contain EPDM rubber strips as a good sealant.

Automotive

EPDM rubber has great importance in the automotive industry. Automotive industries look for products that are heat, moisture, and noise-resistant, and EPDM greatly provides these qualities. Anyhow, being waterproof and heat resistant, EPDM also has a good bond with metals. Especially, vibration-damping concerns make EPDM a vital component in automotive industries.

Industrial seals

The long-lasting stability offered by EPDM rubber is mainly in many machine parts. Many industries choose EPDM for seals and gaskets in different machinery parts. For continuous cooling and heating, EPDM rubber strips ensure excellent elasticity. It provides excellent performance in chemical sealing like NaOH solutions, detergents, and diluted acids.

Are there any conditions where the EPDM rubber doesn’t work well?

No doubt EPDM rubber offers a vast variety of benefits but you must know the conditions where EPDM doesn’t work well. Everything comes with pros and cons. Here are some situations where you should avoid choosing EPDM.

Oil and solvent resistance

EPDM rubber is good for heat, water, UV, and ozone resistance. Additionally, it works well in acidic environments but is somehow vulnerable to chemical damage. So, try to avoid using EPDM in situations where solvents like oil, fuel, gasoline, kerosene, and concentrated acids are present.

Where are EPDM rubber strips used for the most

Numerous industries and manufacturers use EPDM rubber strips due to their applications and benefits. Commonly, we see EPDM usage in many industries and household activities like automotive, roofing, and HVAC. But most commonly EPDM rubber is used for:

• Seals
• Gaskets
• Tubing
• Shock mounts
• Grommets
• Spacers
• Isolators
• Covers
• Belts
• Hoses
• Brake systems

Bottom lines

Ethylene Propylene Diene Monometer (EPDM) is a synthetic rubber material with excellent applications and benefits. Consequently, EPDM rubber strips offer great services like heat, UV, water, and ozone resistance also with vibration-damping properties. Because of these applications, EPDM rubber has become a demanding component in even every manufacturing and construction sites.