Some rubbers are built to resist oil. Others are made for high temperatures.

But few materials endure the punishment of the outdoors like EPDM.

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Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer was developed to survive the very forces that destroy other elastomers: ozone, ultraviolet light, oxygen, water and time.

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It doesn’t crack.
It doesn’t chalk easily.

It keeps sealing, season after season, year after year.

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That’s why EPDM shows up everywhere.

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On buildings, it forms the backbone of roofing membranes and weatherproof seals.

In vehicles, it’s found in door gaskets, under-the-hood hoses and cooling systems.

In industry, it protects pipes, HVAC systems and outdoor enclosures against rain, wind, sun and freezing cold.

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What makes EPDM special is its flexibility under extremes.

From –40 °C winters to +120 °C engine bays and often beyond, with the right formulation, it bends without cracking and seals without shrinking.

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It’s chemically stable, too.

Resistant to steam, mild acids and even glycol-based brake fluids, EPDM is trusted for gaskets and seals in moist or oxidizing environments. Its low density keeps parts lightweight and by adjusting fillers and oils, engineers can precisely control how soft, springy or long-lasting the rubber will be.

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But EPDM has limits and its very chemistry defines them.

As a non-polar rubber, it shrugs off water and weather but fails in oils and fuels. In contact with diesel, gasoline or hydraulic fluids, EPDM swells, softens and eventually breaks down.        

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So while it thrives under sun and storm, it fails in fuel.
That’s why engineers turn to other rubbers, like NBR, when oil resistance is critical.

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But what if you need something like EPDM, just cheaper, or more general-purpose?

That’s where SBR comes in.