Rubber vs Plastic Materials: A Deeper Look

By Zhongxiang rubber March 13th, 2025 713 views

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The quality of any product often depends on the materials chosen to manufacture it. We specialize in various custom rubber and plastic products. With extensive industry experience and a professional technical team, we offer a full range of plastic rubber gasket materials for selection. Moreover, we have an in-house developmental lab and a chemist team. We can customize material formulations according to customer-specific requirements to ensure excellent product performance.

Type of Rubber Materials for Custom Rubber Seals & Gaskets

In rubber manufacturing, dozens of materials are available for selection. Which material is the most suitable for your seals, gaskets, parts, or components? Don't worry. The following information on rubber material properties gives customers a broad overview of different rubber properties to aid in selecting rubber for particular service conditions.

Rubber Materials	Material Introduction	Material properties
EPDM rubber material	EPDM rubber is a highly durable synthetic rubber material with excellent electrical insulation properties. It is used extensively in automotive seals, hoses, tubing, washers, belts, o-rings, and moisture seals.	Strong and durable, with good anti-aging performance; Outstanding resistance to weathering, ozone, and heat.
Silicone rubber material	Silicone rubber is a synthetic material. It has excellent high-temperature resistance, enabling it to perform well in extreme heat conditions. Additionally, it offers great flexibility and chemical resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. Silicone rubber is widely used for automotive, aerospace, and medical devices like gaskets and tubing.	Environmentally friendly and safe, with good insulation High and low-temperature resistance, UV resistance Soft and comfortable, various colors
Neoprene rubber material	CR, is a synthetic rubber also known as polychloroprene. Neoprene exhibits good chemical stability and remains flexible over a wide temperature range, making it suitable for various applications, such as wire sheathing, hoses, heat-resistant conveyor belts, etc.	Strong resistance to oils, oxidation, ozone, and flame. Great waterproof performance Acid and alkali-resistant Good bonding
Viton rubber material	It is a high-performance elastic material, also known as FKM. Its excellent properties include high-temperature resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, aging resistance, and oil resistance. It has been widely used in aerospace, automobiles, petroleum, and household appliances, like o-rings, seals, gaskets, diaphragms, tubing, and more.	High-cost synthetic rubber Good fuel and oil resistance High-temperature resistance Acid and alkali resistance Resistant to a variety of chemicals
Natural rubber material	Natural Rubber (NR) is usually extracted from the latex of oak trees. It mainly comprises monomers such as isoprene and styrene and has good elasticity, wear resistance, and tensile strength. It is widely used in automobile tires, soles, medical equipment, and building sealing materials.	Excellent elasticity High strength Excellent comprehensive performance Wide range of applications
Nitrile rubber material	It is a synthetic rubber known as NBR rubber (nitrile butadiene rubber). It has excellent oil resistance, high wear resistance, good heat resistance, and strong adhesion. Its disadvantages are poor low-temperature and ozone resistance, poor insulation performance, and slightly low elasticity. It is mainly used to make oil-resistant rubber products.	Good oil resistance High wear resistance Airtightness Poor low-temperature resistance
Butyl rubber material	Butyl rubber (IIR) is a synthetic rubber. It has outstanding impermeability to air and moisture, making it ideal for applications like inner tubes and seals. Resistance to fats, oils, greases, ozone, and strong/oxidizing chemicals. It also provides strong shock absorption capabilities. Great for handling your shock/vibration and durability parts.	Strength, flexibility, and low gas permeability Excellent chemical resistance, able to withstand a variety of chemicals Shock absorption and durability
Synthetic rubber material	Synthetic rubber, called Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR), is a cost-effective and versatile material. Although it is not resistant to oil, it provides a reliable alternative to natural rubber with consistent quality and availability. It offers enhanced resistance to heat, abrasion, and chemicals. Moreover, synthetic rubber is more economical than natural rubber and can be customized to meet different needs.	Similar elastomer to natural rubber, low-cost Versatility widely application Low-temperature flexibility Excellent heat resistance

Type of Plastic Materials for Custom Extrusions and Molded Parts & Products

Plastic is a synthetic or semi-synthetic high-molecular organic material. Plastic can be manufactured into various shapes and sizes in a liquid or semi-solid state during processing and has the advantages of being light, strong, corrosion-resistant, and easy to process. The plastic materials we commonly use include Polyamide (PA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), Polycarbonate (PC), PEEK, and other engineering plastics, as well as TPV, TPE, GFRP, etc.

Polyethylene (PE) Materials Characteristics: Low density, good flexibility, chemical resistance. Uses: Packaging films, bottles, containers.	Polypropylene (PP) Materials Characteristics: High strength, heat resistance, good chemical resistance. Uses: Automotive parts, packaging, household items.	Polycarbonate (PC) Materials Characteristics: High strength, transparency, and heat resistance. Uses: Optical lenses, safety glasses, electronic components.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Materials Characteristics: Rigid or flexible, good chemical resistance. Uses: Pipes, cables, vinyl flooring.	Polyurethane (PU) Materials Characteristics: Good flexibility, and abrasion resistance. Uses: Foams for cushions, coatings, and adhesives.	Nylon (polyamide) Materials Characteristics: High strength, abrasion resistance, good heat resistance. Uses: Gears, bearings, textiles.
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) Materials Characteristics: Rigid, good transparency, chemical resistance. Uses: Beverage bottles, food packaging.	ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) Materials Characteristics: High impact strength, and good dimensional stability. Uses: Appliance housings, toys, automotive parts.	PMMA (Polymethyl Methacrylate) Materials Characteristics: High transparency, Good weather resistance, Rigid and lightweight Uses: Automotive Headlight lenses and interior trim.
PEEK (Polyetheretherketone) Materials Characteristics: Exceptional high-temperature resistance. High mechanical strength and stiffness. Uses: Aerospace Components for aircraft engines and interiors.	PBT (Polybutylene Terephthalate) Materials Characteristics: Good mechanical properties, including strength and rigidity. Uses: Connectors, switches, and housings.	POM (Polyoxymethylene, also known as acetal) Materials Characteristics: High strength and stiffness. Excellent wear resistance. Uses: Gears, bearings, bushings, and fasteners.

Advantages of Rubber and Plastic Materials

Advantages of rubber
High elasticity for shock absorption: Ideal for applications like shock absorbers in vehicles and machinery.
Good grip: This makes it suitable for applications such as tire treads and tool handles.
Resistance to wear and tear: Long - lasting in products like conveyor belts.

Advantages of plastic
Lightweight: Reduces transportation costs in industries like automotive and aerospace.
Cost - effective production: Can be mass - produced at relatively low cost.
Versatility in design: It can be molded into complex shapes easily.

We've looked at different rubber and plastic types, their properties, pluses, and minuses. Their mechanical, chemical, and physical traits are diverse, which matters a lot in different industries. Understanding these helps with choosing the right material for any job.

Final thoughts

It's really important to know about rubber and plastic. This knowledge is useful for product design, manufacturing, and protecting the environment. Since these materials are everywhere, being aware of their features helps us make good choices, like using eco-friendly options and dealing with waste properly.

We want to hear from you! Have you used rubber or plastic in a project, at work, or just noticed them in daily life? Share your stories in the comments. Maybe you've found a cool way to use a certain material. Or if you have questions about something we didn't explain well or ideas for future blog topics about materials, let us know. Your thoughts can make our discussions better and help us decide what to write about next.

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Rubber vs Plastic Materials: A Deeper Look