Rubber Material Science

The resiliency and elasticity of rubber enables Boyd to design and manufacture durable and flexible solutions for sealing, environmental protection, and shock absorption.

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Rubber Material Science at Boyd

Rubber is an elastic polymeric substance that can be either natural or synthetic. It can regain its original shape within limits after being deformed if not vulcanized. Vulcanizing rubber adds strength. Rubber is generally tough, resilient, and resistant to environmental and chemical exposure. It is used as a key ingredient in a wide variety of material formulations including sponge, foam, adhesives, and films in addition to traditionally recognized rubber components like hoses.

Boyd custom compounds, molds, extrudes, and converts rubber to produce resilient components that offer a variety of characteristics. Our rubber material science heritage dates 70+ years.

Featured Rubber: Silicone

Boyd has been compounding and manufacturing silicone components for medical, eMobility, food, transportation, construction, and aerospace applications for over 40 years. Boyd’s high quality silicone processes enable us to produce silicone tubes, extruded profiles, o-rings and sheets to complex silicone molded parts and assembled products.

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Rubber Materials

MaterialAdditional NamesKey CharacteristicsProducts & Industries
ButylIsobutylene Isoprene, IIRExcellent gas permeability and weathering.Adhesives, airtight seals, air bladders, tires, chemical containment and stoppers, wire and cable insulation, weather stripping
Chlorosulfonated PolyethyleneCSPE, CSM, Hypalon, Hailon, Lianda or TOSO-CSM®Excellent weather resistance. Good heat, flame and chemical resistance.Chemical processing and containment, mining operations, mass transit.
EPDMEthylene Propylene Diene MonomerResistance to heat, UV, ozone and aging.Automotive gaskets and O-rings, window and door seals, cooling system hoses, non-slip surfaces, wire and cable connectors and insulators.
EpichlorohydrinECH, CO, ECOExcellent heat, ozone, mineral oil and alkalis resistance.Automotive and Industrial seals, hoses, and membranes.
FluoroelastomerFluorosilicone (FVMQ), Fluorocarbons (FKM), FPM, Viton™, Dyneon®, Technoflon®, Dai-El®, perfluoro-elastomers (FFKM)Excellent low to high temperature range stability. Excellent compression set and rebounding like Silicone. Added benefits of chemical resistance to non-polar solvents, fuels, oils, acids, and alkaline chemicals.Aerospace gaskets and O-rings, Chemical processing, and automotive sealing.
NeopreneChloroprene (CR), polychloropreneExcellent abrasion resistance and rebounding.Gaskets, hoses, electrical insulation, waterproofing.
NitrileNitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), Buna-N, acrylonitrile butadiene rubberExcellent oil and abrasion resistance. Cost effective.Hoses, seals, grommets, protective gloves, molded goods, sponges, expanded foams.
PolyisopreneNatural RubberExcellent tear and abrasion resistanceAnti-vibration mounts, springs, bearings, adhesives.
PolyurethanePUR, PUHigh abrasion and impact resistance

Shock and noise absorption

Tear resistance

High load bearing capacity

High flex fatigue resistance
Cutting surfaces, surface protection and bumpers, liners
SiliconeΘ, polysiloxanesExcellent low to high temperature range stability. Excellent compression set and rebounding.Pharmaceutical, medical, electrical, automotive and aerospace applications hoses, and seals, medical breathing tubes, and high temperature automotive hoses.
Styrene-ButadieneStyrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), Buna-SGood abrasion and aging resistance.Molded rubber goods, conveyor belts, shoe soles and heels, adhesives, roll coverings and car tires.
Synthetic PolyisopreneIRSynthetic version of Natural Rubber with many of the same properties, like excellent tear and abrasion resistance.Anti-vibration mounts, springs, bearings, adhesives.
Thermoplastic Elastomers*Thermoplastic Rubbers, Copolymer Class, TPE
*Physical mix of plastic and rubber that exhibits thermoplastic and elastomeric properties, behaves like thermoset rubber but is melt processable via thermoplastic processing methods for reprocessing and remolding
Includes:

- Styrenic block copolymers (TPS)
- Thermoplastic copolyester (TPC)
- Thermoplastic polyamides (TPA)
- Thermoplastic polyolefinelastomers (TPO)
- Thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU)
- Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPV)
- Non-classified thermoplastic elastomers (TPZ)
Automotive weatherstripping, Medical Applications, Consumer appliances and electronics, 3D printing

Manufacturing Capabilities

Extrusion

Boyd has been extruding rubber tubes and custom rubber profiles for the eMobility, medical, and RV industries for decades.

Overmolding/Embedding

Integrate or cover secondary components with rubber for additional functionality, increased safety by covering sharp plastic or metal edges, or improved ergonomics or aesthetics.

Precision Converting

From flat bed presses to complex, multi-stage rotary converting, Boyd has a wide variety of processes to convert rubber sheets or rolls into precision rubber components.

Injection and Compression Molding

Form everything from common o-rings with compression molding or more complex shapes with injection molding.

Have questions? We’re ready to help!