Rubber is a critical material in modern industrial civilization—found in vehicles, machinery, and equipment across every sector. Yet for all its importance, rubber remains one of the least understood materials that engineers regularly encounter. Unlike metals or plastics, rubber brings a level of complexity and versatility that can both empower and challenge designers.
This guide outlines the foundational properties of rubber, explores its many functions, and explains how engineers can approach rubber material selection with clarity and precision.
What Is Rubber in Engineering Terms?
Rubber is defined as any material that can stretch to at least 100% of its original length and return to its original shape without permanent deformation. Although the term “rubber” originally referred to natural rubber tapped from trees, today it broadly refers to a variety of elastomers—many of which are synthetic—that share this exceptional flexibility.
Rubber materials are used to provide high flexibility, resilience, and strength in dynamic or harsh environments. From automotive and aerospace to infrastructure and industrial manufacturing, rubber plays a vital and irreplaceable role in performance-critical systems.
Why Rubber Excels in Transportation and Beyond
A clear and familiar example of rubber’s function is the tire. Tires are foundational to modern transportation—whether truck, car, motorcycle, or bicycle. They simultaneously:
- Seal a pressurized cushion of air that provides a smoother ride
- Contain this air within a highly flexible, durable membrane
- Grip road surfaces with high-friction contact to enable propulsion, steering, and braking
But tires are just one example. Rubber components are also commonly used in transportation systems as:
- Suspension components, such as bushings and isolators, to absorb vibration and road shock
- Mounts and couplings to reduce transmitted noise and mechanical stress
- Weatherproof seals and boots to protect joints and systems from environmental damage
This multifunctionality—combined with durability, shape retention, and moldability—is what makes rubber so uniquely valuable in engineering.
Common Functional Uses of Rubber
Rubber is capable of addressing multiple mechanical objectives simultaneously. Broadly, rubber functions in six key categories:
- Sealing fluids (e.g., O-rings, gaskets)
- Conducting fluids (e.g., hoses, tubing)
- Storing energy (e.g., bungee cords)
- Transmitting energy (e.g., drive belts)
- Absorbing energy (e.g., bumpers, vibration isolators)
- Providing structural support (e.g., bridge bearings)
Rubber components often perform with greater elegance and cost-effectiveness than alternative materials—especially when flexibility, deflection, or complex molding is required.
Why Rubber Is So Complex
Molecular Complexity
Rubber polymers have the highest molecular weights and longest chain lengths of any commonly used materials. These long chains give rubber its ability to stretch, bend, and return to its shape—creating visible movement from microscopic flexibility.
Formulation Complexity
A typical rubber compound contains 10–20 ingredients, compared to only a few in metals or plastics. These ingredients are carefully selected to optimize elasticity, resistance, strength, flexibility, and chemical compatibility.
Key components often include:
- Base polymer (e.g., EPDM, NBR, FKM): Establishes the foundation for temperature resistance, flexibility, and chemical compatibility.
- Fillers (e.g., carbon black, silica): Reinforce strength, stiffness, and wear resistance.
- Plasticizers and softeners: Adjust hardness and improve processability.
- Curing agents (e.g., sulfur, peroxides): Enable cross-linking during vulcanization for elasticity and durability.
- Accelerators and activators: Control the rate and efficiency of the curing reaction.
- Antidegradants (e.g., antioxidants, antiozonants): Extend life by protecting against ozone, heat, and oxidation.
Balancing these ingredients to achieve specific performance characteristics requires extensive material science expertise. Minor changes to proportions or additives can produce dramatic shifts in physical properties, which is why custom formulation is essential in high-performance rubber applications.
Thermosetting Behavior
To become permanently useful, rubber undergoes an irreversible chemical reaction during the curing process. This sets it apart from thermoplastics and metals, which primarily experience phase changes. The combination of diverse ingredients and chemical bonding introduces a level of unpredictability—making formulation both a science and an art.
Selecting the Right Rubber for the Job
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution in elastomers. Engineers must understand trade-offs among rubber families:
- Some offer excellent chemical resistance, but lose flexibility at low temperatures.
- Others perform reliably in extreme heat or cold, but lack ruggedness or long-term durability.
Even within the same polymer family, different variants may alter performance dramatically.
Steps to Select the Right Rubber:
- Define mechanical functions: sealing, absorbing, transmitting, etc.
- Understand the environment:
- Temperature extremes
- Exposure to oils, fuels, coolants, or solvents
- Sunlight, ozone, or radiation
- Mechanical loads and pressure profiles
The more accurately the application is defined, the more precisely a suitable formulation can be developed.
Designing for Dynamic Rubber Applications
Dynamic applications—those involving constant motion or cyclic loading—are among the most demanding for rubber components. While rubber’s inherent flexibility is an asset here, fatigue failure becomes a major risk.
Factors to Define:
- Frequency of movement or vibration
- Deflection amplitude
- Load type and critical startup/shutdown conditions
Rubber’s performance in dynamic environments depends heavily on selecting the right elastomer, optimizing formulation, and applying targeted fatigue testing.
Testing and Validation: From Lab to Field
Developing an optimal rubber compound may require multiple trial formulations and extensive testing. Common tests include:
- Tensile strength and elongation
- Tear and abrasion resistance
- Compression set and stress relaxation
- Ozone and UV resistance
- Immersion in target chemicals
- Flex fatigue or dynamic cycling
Robinson Rubber conducts a wide range of in-house tests using advanced equipment to simulate real-world application conditions. Our laboratory capabilities enable us to replicate common chemical exposures, temperature cycling, and dynamic stress scenarios found in industrial and transportation environments.
While lab testing provides valuable insights, field testing is often the only way to verify real-world performance—especially under complex conditions that lab simulations may not fully replicate.
Why Rubber Is Not a Commodity
Unlike standard materials such as 1018 steel or Nylon 66, rubber formulations are not universal. Most are proprietary to the manufacturer and designed to meet specific application goals. In critical applications, standard specifications (like ASTM D2000) may not be adequate.
Engineers must often:
- Specify a proven proprietary compound
- Collaborate directly with the compounder
- Include formulation testing as part of product development
In dynamic or multi-variable applications, success hinges on the skill and experience of the rubber formulator.
Involve an Experienced Rubber Engineer Early
Due to the complexity and variability of rubber, the best approach is to involve a knowledgeable rubber engineer early in the design process. They can:
- Help define the mechanical and environmental demands
- Recommend optimal elastomer families and modifications
- Oversee prototyping and testing to validate the material under real-world conditions
At Robinson Rubber, our team brings decades of experience and in-house capabilities to support engineers from concept through performance validation. We frequently collaborate during the prototyping phase, helping customers iterate quickly, troubleshoot early challenges, and refine formulations before production begins—ensuring the final product meets both functional and manufacturing requirements.
Key Takeaways for Rubber Material Selection
- Rubber is a uniquely versatile and high-performance material in industrial applications
- Its complexity stems from molecular structure, compound formulation, and curing behavior
- Defining application goals and exposures is critical for selecting the right rubber
- Dynamic applications require precise design and rigorous testing
- Rubber specifications are often proprietary—collaboration is essential
Get Expert Support on Your Rubber Application
Have a complex application or need help selecting the right rubber compound?
Robinson Rubber is here to help you match performance demands with advanced elastomer solutions.
To learn more or request a quote
Call: 763-535-6737
Email: sales@robinsonrubber.com