Elastomer / rubber · Material Overview

HNBR

Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (upgraded Buna-N / NBR family) — Upgraded nitrile (Buna-N) family for hotter, more demanding oil and industrial sealing service.

Elastomer / rubberChemical resistantOil / fuel resistantHigher-temperature serviceGasket / sealing

Specialty tags

Screening hints only. Certifications (medical, food-contact, flame, HazLoc) apply to specific grades and finished equipment — verify with supplier documentation.

Chemical resistant. Often selected where chemical exposure matters — resistance is chemistry-, concentration-, and grade-dependent.
Oil / fuel resistant. Often selected for oil and fuel contact — resistance depends on fluid, temperature, and exact compound.
Higher-temperature service. Relative heat capability vs commodity plastics — continuous-use temperature is grade-specific.
Gasket / sealing. Commonly used for gaskets, O-rings, or weatherseals — squeeze, fluid, and compression set still need compound validation.

Flexibility, sealing & button feel

Qualitative screening for gaskets, O-rings, soft goods, and rubber buttons — not datasheet values. Compounds and mold textures vary widely within each family.

Flexibility

Moderate flex

Pliability

Medium soft

Squeeze recovery

Good recovery

Gasket / seal fit

Preferred for gaskets/seals

Button / keypad fit

Limited button use

Hardness guidance

Shore A ~70–80

Sealing compounds are hardness-specified like NBR; feel is typically medium rather than ultra-soft.

Useful when gasket duty needs oil resistance with more thermal margin
Still verify compression set for the target squeeze and bake

Button hardness & texture guide

Shore A bands and texture notes are educational screening aids for buttons, keypads, and soft-touch parts — not datasheet values or mold-texture guarantees. Always specify hardness, finish, and texture on the drawing/compound sheet.

Shore A ~70–80Limited button useFirm rubber

Educational Shore A scale

Softer ~30Harder ~90

Very soft press

Shore A ~30–40

Gel-like remote keys, ultra-soft mute buttons

Soft consumer buttons

Shore A ~40–50

TV remotes, soft-touch power keys, thumb grips

Everyday keypads

Shore A ~50–60

Appliance panels, calculator-style keys, light industrial HMI

Firmer click / seals

Shore A ~60–70

Firmer keypad stops, many gaskets, durable button skirts

Firm rubber

Shore A ~70–80

Feet, hard bumpers, stiff button surrounds

Hard elastomer

Shore A ~80–90

Near-rigid rubber parts; less “squishy button” feel

Surface textures for buttons & grips

Smooth matteCommon here

Flat, low-shine face

Clean consumer look; hides fingerprints better than gloss.

Smooth gloss

Reflective, polished face

Premium sheen; shows fingerprints and micro-scratches more.

Soft-touch

Slightly draggy, skin-like surface

Velvety or rubberized feel for premium button tops and grips.

Light textureCommon here

Fine grain / light stipple

Subtle grain improves finger purchase without looking industrial.

Heavy grip texture

Deep stipple or diamond grip

Aggressive grip for tools/outdoor UIs; can feel rough.

Ribbed

Parallel ridges

Directional cues for sliders or long press zones.

Dotted / pill

Raised dots or pill centers

Tactile target for small keys; common on remotes.

Orange peel

Gentle pebbled skin

Soft diffuse texture that hides tooling marks on larger pads.

Advantages

Better heat and aging resistance than many NBRs
Retains oil/fuel usefulness of the nitrile family
Common in demanding industrial seals

Limitations

Higher relative cost than standard NBR
Still not a universal chemical resistor
Compound selection remains critical

Compatible Processes

Injection Molding

Melt resin pellets and inject into a closed mold to produce repeatable parts.

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Compression Molding

Place a charge in a heated mold and close under pressure to form thermoset or composite parts.

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Extrusion

Force material through a die to create continuous profiles later cut to length.

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