Continental Materials
Continental specializes in a wide range of materials, including VAMAC, FKM, Viton™, HNBR, BUNA-N Nitrile, Chloroprene, Fluorocarbon, and more.
Check our full list of materials below
Polyacrylate (ACM, PA)
ACMs have good resistance to high heat and oil which is better than NBRs. It also well resists oxygen and ozone even at high temperature but is with poorer water and low temperature flexibility compared to NBRs. Special ACM can improve low temperature flexibility to -40°C (TR10 value) without reducing oil and heat resistance. Polyacrylates usually are applied in automatic industry, especially in automatic transmission and steering fluids.
Performs Well In...
Mineral oils (transmission and steering fluids)
Ozone, weather and hot air.
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Alcohol
Aromatics and chlorinated hydrocaebons
Hot water and steam
Acids, alkalis and amines
Brake fluids
Vamac® / AEM
(Ethylene/Acrylic elastomer) rubber is primarily used in the automotive industry, specifically for under-the-hood applications such as hoses, gaskets, seals, and belts. It is also utilized in various other industries for similar applications, where excellent heat, ozone, and oil resistance is required. Overall, the material has proven to be very flexible across the board. And, some of its major functionalities include the following:
Consumer Products: To begin, AEM rubber works in some of the everyday things we see – sporting goods, kitchen utensils, etc. Since it is flexible and weather-resistant, this pretty much works.
Building Components: When making construction materials, Vamac rubber also does quite well. Many of these materials take harsh impact, and the rubber’s strength will come in handy.
Insulation For Electrical Components: It should go without saying that AEM rubber’s electrical insulation properties work here. You can add it to wires to bolster their insulation, as well as other electrical components.
Use In Vibration Absorbers: These days, many machines use vibration damping mounts. AEM rubber functions as a component of these, providing proper durability to ensure that these machines can work as long as possible.
Equipment Wheels: In the industrial space, we see AEM rubber being used to make wheels and rollers that help in moving and transporting equipment from one place to the other.
Vamac® is a registered trademark of DuPont Performance Polymers.
Performs Well In...
Ozone, weather and hot air.
automatic transmission fluids (ATF) and Power steering fluids
water
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Ketones
Fuels
Brake fluids
Chloroprene Rubber (CR)
CR is a multi-purposed elastomer which yields a balanced combination of properties. It has good resistance to sun, ozone, weather and performs well in contact with oils and many chemicals. It also displays outstanding physical toughness and good resistance to fire.
Chloroprene has been used in thousands of diverse environments, including automotive, wire and cable industries.
CR is usually used in air condition system, especially old, refrigerated media like R12 or R22 and lubricant with mineral oil.
Performs Well In...
Refrigerants
Ammonia
Water
Silicone grease and oils
High aniline point mineral oil
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Ketones
Esters
Ethers
Strong oxidizing acids
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Ethylene Propylene Rubber (EPR, EPDM)
EPDM is a copolymer of ethylene and propylene, and further a terpolymer of ethylene and propylene with a small amount of a third monomer (usually a diolefin) to permit vulcanization with sulfur. Generally, Ethylene Propylene Rubber possesses excellent resistance to ozone, sunlight, and weathering, and has very good flexibility at low temperature, good chemical resistance (many dilute acids and alkalis, polar solvents), and good electrical insulation property. Standard EPDMs are usually sulfur-cured. Sulfur-cured compounds offer better flexible properties but are more prone to hardening and poorer compression set with high temperature. Peroxide-cured EPDMs have better heat resistance and lower compression set. It complies with long time usage especially for hose system of construction industry, but at the same time is more expensive and more difficult for production than the sulfur cured.
Performs Well In...
Alcohols
Automotive brake fluid
Ketones
Dilute acids and alkalis
Silicone oils & greases
Steam to 400°F
Water
Phosphate ester based hydraulic fluids - Skydrol®
Ozone, aging & weathering
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Aliphatic & aromatic hydrocarbons
Di-ester based lubricants
Halogenated solvents
Petroleum based oils & greases
Perfluoroelastomers (FFKM)
Perfluoroelastomers(FFKM) contain fully fluorinated polymer chains and hence offer the ultimate performance of elastomers when considering heat and chemical resistance. Excellent resistance to fuels, all types of lubricating oils and greases, mineral-based and hydraulic fluids,solvents, alcohols, most acids and alkalis.
FFKM has excellent resistance to high temperature, oil, solvent, flame,chemical and weather, and it is usually applied in semiconductor, chemical processing, aerospace and many industrials.
FFKM can also be used in the oil and gas industry with highly aggressive media, high pressure, and in extreme temperature. They are resistant against rapid gas decompression as well.
Performs Well In...
Hydrocarbons
Alkalis
Amines
Lubricants
Ketones/Esters/Ethers
Ozone, weather and very high temperature air
Acid (Organic and inorganic acids)
Water/Steam
Sour gas
Aldehydes
High vacuum
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Fluorinated fluid
Fluorocarbon (FKM, Viton™)
Fluorocarbon is a well- known high-performance rubber, and especially it has excellent resistance to high temperature, ozone, weather, oxygen, mineral oil, fuels, hydraulic fluids, aromatics and many organic solvents and chemicals.
Because of their outstanding performance they find use in a few sectors, including the following:
Chemical process and where they are used for seals, pumps, gaskets and so on, due to their resistance to chemicals;
Analysis and process instruments: separators, diaphragms, cylindrical fittings, hoops, gaskets, etc.
Semiconductor manufacturing.
Food and pharmaceutical, because of their low degradation, also in contact with fluids.
Aviation and aerospace: high operating temperatures and high altitudes require superior heat and low-temperature resistance.
They are suitable for the production of wearables, due to low wear and discoloration even during prolonged lifetimes in contact with skin oils and frequent exposure to light, while guaranteeing high comfort and stain resistance.
The automotive industry represents their main application sector, where constant reach for higher efficiencies push manufacturers towards high-performing materials.
Viton™ is a registered trademark of Chemours Fluoroelastomer. AFLAS® is a registered trademark of AGC Chemicals.
Performs Well In...
Petroleum products
Fuel or blend with methanol or ethanol
Diesel or blend with biodiesel
Silicone oil and grease
High vacuum
Ozone, weather and very high temperature air
Strong acid
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Ketones
Low molecular weight organic acids (formic and acetic acids)
Superheat steam
Low molecular weight esters and ethers
Phosphate ester based hydraulic fluids - Skydrol®️
Fluorosilicone Rubber (FVMQ)
FVMQ offers improved fuel and mineral oil resistance, but poorer hot air resistance then standard VMQ.
FVMQ offers excellent low-temperature flexibility and good resistance to fuel and aromatic mineral oil. It is usually applied in contact with jet and automotive fuels, most solvents, and engine oil especially in aerospace industry.
Performs Well In...
Fuels
Aromatic mineral oils
Benzene, Toluene
Ozone and weather
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Brake fluids
Ketones
Hydrazine
Hydrogenated Nitrile Rubber (HNBR)
This special hydrogenation process reduces lots of double bonds in main chains of NBR polymer, thus HNBR possesses superior heat, ozone, chemical resistance and mechanical characteristics over standard Nitrile. HNBRs are often internally lubricated to improve ease of installation or reduce friction for dynamic applications.
HNBRs are usually used in automotive air conditioning system where R134a refrigerant gas or new refrigerant for environment protection like R401a, R404a, R410a, R507 and R744 is used and are also used in automotive shaft system because of their excellent abrasion resistance.
Performs Well In...
Petroleum based oils & fuels
Aliphatic hydrocarbons
Vegetable oils
Silicone oils & greases
Ethylene glycol
Dilute acids, bases & salt solutions to moderate temperatures
Water & steam to 150°C (300°F)
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Ketones
Ethers
Esters
Strong acids
Buna-N Nitrile (NBR)
Buna-N Nitrile (also known as NBR rubber and Buna-N) is the seal industry’s most widely used and economical elastomer. This is partly because it displays excellent resistance to petroleum-based oils, fuels, water, alcohols, silicone greases, hydraulic fluids. However, it also has a good balance of desirable working properties like low compression set, high abrasion resistance and high tensile strength. The uses of nitrile rubber include O-rings, gaskets, oil seals, V belts, synthetic leather, printer's form rollers, disposable non-latex gloves, automotive transmission belts, hoses, and as cable jacketing.
Performs Well In...
Petroleum based oils & fuels
Aliphatic hydrocarbons
Vegetable oils
Silicone oils & greases
Ethylene glycol
Dilute acids
Water to below 100°C (212°F)
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Automotive brake fluid
Chlorinated hydrocarbons
Ketones
Ethers
Esters
Phosphate ester hydraulic fluids
Strong acids
Ozone / weathering / sunlight
PTFE (PTFE, Polytetrafluoroethylene, PFA, FEP)
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that has numerous applications. It is also known by the common trade name TEFLON™, trademark owned by The Chemours Company FC. PTFE can be modified for use as a gasketing material with strong chemical resistance properties. It can also be machined or molded into almost any shape.
PTFE is a superior O-Ring material not affected by most chemicals. It can be used at temperatures up to 500°F (260°C). It has the lowest coefficient of friction of any solid material. Lubrication is less critical and can sometimes be omitted.Elastomers such as silicone or Viton® can be coated in a PTFE sheath for added chemical resistance while maintaining maximum flexibility. These rings are often used in food & pharmaceutical, chemical, and petrochemical industries where strong chemical resistance and hygiene are required.
***INFORMATION BELOW (perf. well) NEEDS CHANGED
Performs Well In...
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Doesn’t Perform Well In...
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Polyurethane (PU, EU)
Any type of polyurethane has excellent wear resistance, high tensile strength, and high elasticity in comparison with any other elastomers. Polyurethane usually is applied in mechanical industry, especially in the place where material must have higher wear resistance and higher strength.
Polyurethane usually is applied in mechanical industry, especially in the place where material must have higher wear resistance and higher strength.
Performs Well In...
Aliphatic hydrocarbon
Mineral oil and grease
Silicone oil and grease
Ozone
Water up to 50°C (EU type)
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Ketones
Ethers
Esters
Ethers
Hot water and steam
Alkalis, amines
Acids
Glycols
Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)
Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is an elastomer that is fully thermoplastic. Like all thermoplastic elastomers, TPU is elastic and melt processable. Further, it can be processed on extrusion as well as injection, blow, and compression molding equipment.
TPU is also a popular material found in flexible outer cases of devices like mobile phones and keyboard protectors. TPU is well known for its applications in wire and cable jacketing, hose and tube, in adhesive and textile coating applications, and as an impact modifier of other polymers.
Performs Well In...
Diluted acids and alkaline solutions
Mineral oil
Ozone
Aliphatic hydrocarbon
Water up to 50°C
Lubricants
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Ketones
Esters
Hot water and steam
Polar organic solvents
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Alkalis, amines
Acids
Silicone (VMQ / PVMQ)
Silicone (VMQ / PVMQ) rubber is used in a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, medical, and consumer products. The material has excellent thermal and electrical properties as well as good resistance to extreme temperatures. It also exhibits very low gas permeability, making it ideal for applications requiring insulation or air-tight seals.
Silicone rubber is also widely used in the food and beverage industry due to its resistance to extreme temperatures and non-toxicity. It’s commonly used for baking mats, oven mitts, spatulas, and other kitchen utensils.
Silicone rubber is also non-toxic and hypoallergenic, making it a great choice for medical applications.
Performs Well In...
Engine and transmission oil (mineral oils)
Diluted salt solution
Moderate water
Dry heat
Ozone, weather resistance
Doesn’t Perform Well In...
Concentrated acids and alkalis
Steam over 120 °C
Petroleum oils and fuel
Ketones
Expanded Material Selection for Your Application
At Continental, we provide a comprehensive selection of materials designed to meet your specific requirements. Our range includes everything featured on this page, as well as other options like IIR, SBR and more, each offering distinct advantages. Whether you need exceptional chemical resistance, high-temperature performance, or enhanced durability, we have the perfect material solution for you.
Discover Our Custom Compounds
Contact Continental to learn more about our extensive range of materials and how we can develop custom compounds to meet your specific needs.
FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions about our materials.
At Continental, we work with an extensive variety of materials including BUNA-N Nitrile (NBR), Chloroprene (®Neoprene), Fluorocarbon (®VITON), Fluorosilicone, HBNR, Polyacrylic, Silicone, TFE/P (®AFLAS), FFKM, Ethylene Acrylic Elastomer (®Vamac), and Ethylene-Propylene. All our materials have excellent physical properties and meet various industrial and commercial specifications. We can also develop custom compounds to meet your specific needs.
Yes, we can develop custom compounds to meet your specific requirements. Our team will work closely with your company to select the appropriate material and create a custom compound that meets your application's needs.
Absolutely! Our materials meet various specifications, including Government, Automotive, F.D.A., UL, and NSF industrial and commercial specifications. We ensure that our materials are of the highest quality and comply with industry standards.
If you have any further questions or need more information, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our team is ready to assist you with any inquiries you may have.
If you still have questions or need more information, feel free to reach out to us. We're here to help!
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