Elastomeric

Elastomeric describes materials that exhibit rubber-like elasticity, capable of undergoing large reversible deformations under stress and quickly returning to their original shape when the stress is removed. Elastomeric materials are typically polymers with a relatively low modulus and high elongation at break, and they remain flexible over a broad temperature range as long as the operating temperature stays above their glass transition temperature.

Most elastomeric behavior arises from the presence of a crosslinked polymer network. In natural and many synthetic rubbers, crosslinks formed during vulcanization or other chemical curing limit flow and enable substantial elastic recovery. Thermosetting elastomers rely on permanent crosslinks, while thermoplastic elastomers achieve elastic behavior through microphase-separated networks, allowing cold hopping between elastomeric and thermoplastic processing.

Common elastomeric polymers include natural rubber (cis-1,4-polyisoprene) and a variety of synthetic rubbers such as styrene-butadiene, polybutadiene, neoprene (polychloroprene), EPDM, silicone rubber, and nitrile rubber. Thermoplastic elastomers, such as certain styrenic block copolymers and thermoplastic polyurethanes, combine rubber-like elasticity with the processability of thermoplastics.

Applications are broad and include seals and gaskets, tires, vibration dampers, hoses, medical devices, and consumer goods. Performance depends on temperature, aging, ozone and chemical resistance, and the presence of fillers or plasticizers, which tailor properties such as hardness, elasticity, and abrasion resistance.