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What's the difference between EPDM and Silicone Rubber?

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reksonpolymer
What's the difference between EPDM and Silicone Rubber?

What is EPDM?

EPDM stands for Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer, a synthetic rubber used in a range of applications. EPDM is manufactured by Silicone Rubber Products Manufacturer most widely used for various seals in the automotive and construction industries due to its great resistance to environmental conditions like ozone, UV, and general weathering. Window and door seals (glazing), waterproofing sheets, and electrical gaskets are all common uses for EPDM. When compared to its nearest competitor, silicone rubber, EPDM has one disadvantage: temperature resistance.

EPDM is less resistant to higher temperatures than silicone rubber, as it can only withstand temperatures of 130°C (266°F) at most.

What is Silicone Rubber?

Silicone is a carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen-based inorganic polymer (along with Silicone). Silicone is widely employed in a variety of industries and applications, including rail, aerospace, food & beverage, and automotive, among others.

Silicone rubber Sheets has a number of advantages, but its ability to withstand extreme temperatures is the most well-known and commonly used.

Unlike EPDM, silicone maintains its physical qualities at temperatures up to 230°C (446°F), with high-temperature silicone grades able to tolerate temperatures up to 270°C.  Silicone is used in the food and beverage sector as dairy tubing, seals and gaskets on food machinery, and vending tubes in drinks machines. It is also a sterile elastomer, which is why it is used as dairy tubing, seals and gaskets on food machinery, and vending tubes in drinks machines.

Silicone is regarded as a superior elastomer to EPDM because of the additional benefits it offers, as well as the fact that it has a longer service life, resulting in lower replacement costs and/or downtime.

How heat affects Silicone vs EPDM?

When silicone rubber and EPDM are exposed to varied degrees of heat, their properties change. A conventional piece of silicone sponge and a standard piece of EPDM sponge, both 6mm thick, were subjected to a series of heat ageing tests by our Laboratory team. The original pieces were sliced into six 58mm circles, which were then baked at various temperatures.

The results were then recorded as follows:

EPDM Results

The EPDM sample had decreased by 17 percent to 48mm at 100°C.

Given that the datasheet stated that the temperature limit was 130°C, this is a surprise conclusion.

The shrinkage resumed at 125°C, but it was more severe this time, with a 52 percent reduction in size from its original size to 28mm.

Finally, by 150°C, the EPDM had reduced by 1mm, indicating that the material's severe deformation occurred at 125°C.

Silicone Results

After being exposed to the same temperatures as the EPDM, the silicone samples showed no shrinkage. When taken out of the oven, all silicone rubber samples remained at 58mm, demonstrating silicone's thermal stability.

Choosing the right material is important

Human mistake is the most typical cause of application failure, whether it occurs during the design or installation stages.

Depending on your application, selecting the appropriate material will determine whether it succeeds or fails.

Many sealing failures are caused by the use of the wrong rubber, which might be due to cost, a lack of knowledge about the application environment, or both.

At Rekson, we start by asking our clients where the rubber will be used and what environmental conditions it will be exposed to.

When selecting whether to choose silicone rubber over EPDM, temperature, abrasion, chemical interaction, and pressure are all considerations to consider.

We are the Best Rubber Manufacturer in Mumbai where our skilled team of engineers and silicone experts are available to advise and assist you in understanding the benefits of silicone over EPDM, as well as how using silicone in applications will result in longer lifespan and less downtime.

Resource Medium:

https://bit.ly/3ieE9Eg

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