Elastomeerists

Elastomeerists are scientists and engineers who study elastomeric polymers, commonly known as elastomers. These materials are characterized by their ability to undergo large, reversible deformations and recover their original shape when the load is removed. The field encompasses the chemistry, physics, processing, and performance of rubber-like materials across research, industry, and applications.

Elastomer materials include natural rubber and a broad range of synthetic rubbers such as styrene-butadiene rubber, polyisoprene, nitrile rubber, neoprene, silicone, and fluorinated elastomers. Elastomeerists investigate how molecular structure, crosslinking, fillers, and additives influence elasticity, strength, abrasion resistance, aging, and environmental stability. Central processing topics include vulcanization and other crosslinking chemistries, curing systems, compounding, extrusion, molding, and the development of thermoplastic elastomers that combine elastomeric properties with recyclability.

Characterization and testing are core activities. Researchers use tensile and fatigue testing, dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, rheometry, and spectroscopy to link structure to mechanical performance under various temperatures, humidities, and chemical environments. Degradation mechanisms, aging, ozone and heat resistance, and service-life modeling are common concerns, as are the implementation of coatings, sealants, and surface treatments.

Applications of elastomeerists’ work span automotive tires and seals, hoses and vibration dampers, medical devices, consumer goods, and flexible electronics. The field is typically housed within polymer science, materials science, and chemical engineering, with collaboration across academia, industry, and government laboratories.