Nitrile Rubber Seal (NBR)

Engineered for continuous contact with engine oils, transmission fluids, and hydrocarbon fuels, these nitrile rubber seals are compounded across a defined ACN range of 28–40% — each grade selected to match the chemical aggression and temperature profile of a specific oil-circuit position. Unlike commodity NBR, every compound here starts with an ACN decision: low-mid grades…

Specifications

Product Type:

Automotive oil seal, shaft seal, O-ring, gasket, hose end seal (molded or extruded)

Base Polymer:

Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR), ACN content 28–40%

Structure:

Solid — compression molded, transfer molded, or continuous extrusion

Color: 

Black (standard); custom color per customer spec

Surface Finish:

Smooth / matte; post-cure flash-trimmed

Standards & Compliance: 

Hardness:

50–80 Shore A (±5); standard automotive grade 60–70 Shore A

Tensile Strength: 

≥ 20 kN/m

Elongation at Break:

≥ 300%

Tear Strength:

≥ 20 kN/m

Recommended Service Temperature:

−40°C to +120°C (grade-dependent: 28–33% ACN down to −40°C; 36–40% ACN continuous to +120°C)

Hot Air Aging:

100°C × 70 h: hardness change ≤ ±8 Shore A; tensile retention ≥ 80%

Low‑Temperature Brittleness: 

≤ −40°C (28–33% ACN grades per ASTM D746)

Typical Applications:

Engine crankshaft oil seal, transmission shaft seal, fuel filler gasket, hydraulic O-ring, power steering hose seal

Description:

NBR’s oil resistance is not a fixed property — it scales directly with acrylonitrile content, and that relationship is what separates a compound engineer’s decision from a catalog search. The polar nitrile groups in the polymer backbone resist swelling when exposed to non-polar hydrocarbons: raise the ACN percentage and you tighten volume swell in ASTM Oil No. 3, synthetic transmission fluid, and aromatic-rich fuels; reduce it and the glass transition temperature drops, keeping the seal pliable at -40°C cold-starts.

For crankshaft and camshaft seals — where continuous mineral oil contact runs at 100–120°C — a 36–40% ACN compound is selected. Transmission shaft seals operating in ATF at moderate temperatures, and fuel filler gaskets requiring low-temperature resilience in northern-climate vehicles, call for a 28–33% ACN grade. Hydraulic O-rings in power steering circuits represent an intermediate case: a 34% ACN compound balances swell control with sufficient cold-bend behavior down to -30°C. The ACN decision happens before a single gram of compound is mixed — not during compound adjustments.

 

Typical Industry Applications

Proven performance across demanding manufacturing environments.

Industry Typical Use Cases
Automotive & Motorcycle Engine crankshaft oil seals, camshaft seals, transmission shaft seals, hydraulic power steering hose seals, fuel filler neck gaskets, differential seals, O-rings for engine block assemblies
Construction & Architecture Hydraulic cylinder seals for excavator arms and cranes, pneumatic tool seals, compressor gaskets
Home Appliances Pump seals for washing machines, oil-lubricated motor shaft seals, compressor valve gaskets in air conditioners
Electronics & Industrial Machinery Hydraulic manifold O-rings, lubricated gearbox seals, pneumatic actuator lip seals, pump diaphragm gaskets

Chemical Resistance Table:

Chemical / Medium Resistance Notes
Mineral engine oil (SAE 5W-30, 10W-40) ✅ Excellent Core performance driver; volume swell <15% in IRM 903 at 100°C for 40% ACN grades
Automatic transmission fluid (ATF) ✅ Excellent Stable across -30°C to +120°C service window
Hydraulic fluid — petroleum-based (HM, HV) ✅ Excellent Preferred NBR application; minimal compression set increase
Diesel fuel ✅ Excellent Low aromatic content diesel — strong performance
Unleaded gasoline / petrol ✓ Good High-aromatic blends require 36–40% ACN grade to control swell
Grease (lithium, calcium soap) ✅ Excellent Long-term grease contact — no significant degradation
Water / steam (≤ 80°C) ✓ Good Adequate for intermittent water contact; not designed for continuous steam
Ethanol-blended fuel (E10–E20) ✓ Good 36–40% ACN preferred; higher ethanol ratios increase polarity-driven extraction
Glycol-based coolant ✓ Good Compatible; ensure no extended contact above 100°C
Aliphatic solvents (hexane, heptane) ✓ Good Acceptable for splash contact; continuous immersion requires higher ACN
Aromatic solvents (benzene, toluene, xylene) ⚠ Limited Swelling increases significantly; FKM recommended for high-aromatic continuous contact
Phosphate ester hydraulic fluid (Skydrol-type) ✗ Not recommended NBR degrades rapidly; specify EPDM or FKM
Ketones (acetone, MEK) ✗ Not recommended Polar solvents attack NBR backbone; not compatible
Concentrated acids / strong oxidizing agents ✗ Not recommended Severe degradation; material selection review required
Ozone / UV (unshielded outdoor exposure) ⚠ Limited NBR is ozone-sensitive; antidegradant package included but outdoor static service requires CR or EPDM

In-House Quality Assurance & Testing:

At Micune Rubber, batch-to-batch consistency is guaranteed through our ISO-9001 certified Quality Management System. Every rubber compound and custom extrusion undergoes rigorous evaluation in our dedicated testing laboratory before shipment. We utilise industry-standard baseline testing, including Mooney Viscometers to measure compound viscosity and Torque Rheometers to verify exact vulcanisation characteristics. This ensures every material formulation strictly adheres to your required specifications and processing parameters.

Mooney Viscometer

Mooney Viscometer

abrasive testing machine

Abrasive Testing Machine

Burn-in Chamber

Burn-in Chamber

Torque Rheometer

Torque-Rheometer

RFQ:

Molded O-rings are produced to AS568 or ISO 3601 dimensional standards with standard tolerances; tighter tolerances (e.g., ±0.05 mm on cross-section diameter) are achievable for dedicated cavity tooling. For custom-profile seals and extruded strips, submitting a 2D drawing with critical dimensions flagged and a nominal cross-section tolerance call-out is the fastest path to a matched-sample quotation. Existing tooling for common automotive seal profiles may eliminate new tooling costs.

SGS-issued test reports covering EU RoHS Directive (10 restricted substances, all ND), REACH SVHC screening, and PAHs (AfPS GS 2019:01, 15+ compounds, all ND) are available per compound grade on request. Manufacturing operations hold ISO 9001:2015 certification, and compound-level material safety data sheets (SDS) are issued as standard with each qualification package. For OEM supplier audit requirements, compound batch records and QC inspection data can be structured into a PPAP-aligned material dossier.

ACN grade selection runs from 28% (cold-start flexibility priority) through 40% (maximum mineral oil and fuel resistance), with intermediate grades at 33–34% for general automotive sealing. Hardness is adjustable from 50 to 80 Shore A in increments of approximately 5 points through carbon black loading and plasticizer balance. Color customization is available for non-black compounds; standard black (carbon black–loaded) remains the default for heat-aging stability in under-hood environments.

For standard-profile seals using existing tooling, development samples are typically dispatched within 7–10 business days from drawing confirmation and compound grade selection. New tooling for custom cross-sections adds 15–20 business days for mold fabrication before first-article samples. Providing a 2D dimensional drawing, target hardness, service temperature range, and the primary fluid contact environment is sufficient to initiate compound selection and tooling review simultaneously.

MOQ for custom molded seals is generally 500–1,000 pieces depending on part complexity and unit weight; extruded profiles are quoted by linear meter with a minimum production run. Standard production lead time after sample approval is 15–25 business days, with sea freight from Guangzhou (Zengcheng District) covering major Asian, European, and American destinations in 15–35 days depending on routing. Air freight and express courier options are available for urgent consignments or pre-production qualification lots.

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