Nitrile, or NBR, stands for Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber. The material offers exceptional resistance to hydraulic oil, motor oil, and other industrial oils.
Nitrile is produced as rubber sheet. We manufacture flat NBR sheets for die-cut and waterjet-cut seals, gaskets, diaphragms, and sealing strips.
This material is also available as a grooved sheet, for use on workbenches or shelf surfaces, for example. Because it is resistant to oil and petroleum, this material in its grooved form is ideal for a car mechanic’s workbench.
Rubber sheet with electrical insulationInsulation for Electrical Applications
Unlike more cost-effective grades of grooved rubber, NBR sheeting is a more odorless alternative and is therefore better suited for store shelves than other types of rubber.
The material can also be produced with reinforcement in the rubber sheet to increase its wear resistance and dimensional stability. In this case, the nitrile is produced with a textile insert inside the sheet, which limits the material’s elasticity.
Common products made from molded and extruded NBR include O-rings, X-rings, hoses, and extruded sealing strips.
Other types of nitrile, such as HNBR or hydrogenated NBR, have better thermal properties, with a peak temperature of up to 165°. HNBR is more resistant to a wider range of chemicals than traditional nitrile and is therefore suitable for harsher environments.
In some cases, HNBR can replace FKM/FPM rubber products to provide a more cost-effective gasket or seal.
Like other rubber grades, nitrile is available in several different Shore hardness ratings, which indicate the material’s hardness. The most common hardness we see is 65Sh.