Elastomeriche

Elastomeriche refers to materials with elastomeric, or rubber-like, properties. The term is used in Italian and in English as elastomeric to describe polymers capable of large reversible deformations and of returning to their original shape when the stress is removed.

Elastomers are typically polymers with long, flexible chains that form a network through crosslinking. Crosslinking can occur by vulcanization with sulfur, peroxide curing, or other chemistries. The networks are usually amorphous, and their glass transition temperature is below ambient, allowing elasticity at room temperature. Common elastomers include natural rubber (polyisoprene), styrene-butadiene rubber, polybutadiene, neoprene, nitrile rubber, silicone elastomers, and fluorinated elastomers. Properties can be tuned with fillers, plasticizers, and co-monomers to achieve a wide range of hardness and chemical resistance.

Key characteristics include high elongation at break, low modulus, and good resilience, though performance depends on temperature, strain rate, and aging. Typical tests measure hardness (Shore A), tensile modulus, elongation at break, and compression set.

Applications are diverse: seals and gaskets, tires and belts, vibration dampers, hoses, medical devices, and soft robotics. Processing methods include molding, extrusion, and curing (vulcanization) for most elastomers; some modern families, such as thermoplastic elastomers, use physical crosslinks and can be melted and remolded.

Elastomeric performance is influenced by environmental factors like ozone, UV exposure, chemicals, and heat, which can cause cracking or aging. The category covers natural and synthetic materials, each chosen for specific temperature, chemical, and mechanical requirements.