553 EPDM Sheet Rubber (50 Duro)
553 is a solid, industrial-grade EPDM sheet rubber (American Biltrite AB-553, ASTM D2000 3BA508A14C12F17) with a Shore A hardness of 50 per ASTM D2240 and a specific gravity of 1.16 g/cc, available in four thicknesses from 1/16″ to 1/4″. Tensile strength is 1,500 psi minimum (per American Biltrite; the earlier H-O data sheet lists 800 psi) and elongation is 300% minimum per ASTM D412, with a service temperature range of -40°F to 250°F. It resists heat, ozone, and sunlight, with no cracking after 70 hours of ozone exposure at 50 pphm per ASTM D1149, and holds up in hot and cold water. It is a dense sheet, not a sponge: it locates and seals under bolt load but does not compress the way a cellular gasket does.
Outgassing: no ASTM E595 (TML / CVCM) data is published for this grade, so it is not a candidate for vacuum or contamination-controlled assemblies. For a solid pad or gasket at 50–60 Shore A with published E595 results, see SSP2390 platinum-cured silicone or Low Outgassing Silicone Sheeting; for a firm foam, see PORON 4701-60.
Key Properties
- Form: Solid EPDM sheet (smooth finish, black)
- Durometer/Hardness (Shore A): 50 (ASTM D2240)
- Tensile Strength (Min): 1,500 psi (ASTM D412)
- Elongation (Min): 300% (ASTM D412)
- Compression Set, 22 Hours @ 158°F, 50% (Max): 50% (ASTM D3958)
- Specific Gravity: 1.16 g/cc
- Temperature Range: -40°F to 250°F
- Outgassing (ASTM E595): not tested / no published data
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- Specifications
- Applications
- General Info
- FAQs
Physical Properties
| Property | Value | Test Method |
| Thickness | 1/16″, 1/8″, 3/16″, 1/4″ | — |
| Color | Black | — |
| Polymer / Form | Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM), solid sheet rubber, industrial grade (American Biltrite AB-553, ASTM D2000 3BA508A14C12F17) | — |
| Specific Gravity | 1.16 gr/cc | — |
| Durometer/Hardness (Shore A) | 50 | ASTM 2240 |
Mechanical Properties
| Property | Value | Test Method |
| Tensile Strength (Min) | 1,500 psi (per American Biltrite) | ASTM D412 |
| Elongation (Min) | 300% | ASTM D412 |
| Compression Set, 22 Hours @ 158°F, 50% (Max) | 50% | ASTM D3958 |
Thermal Properties
| Property | Value | Test Method |
| Temperature Range | -40°F to 250°F | — |
| Cold Temperature | -40°F min | ASTM D2137 |
Environmental Performance
| Property | Value | Test Method |
| Ozone 50 PPHM, 70 Hours @ 40°F | No cracking | ASTM D1149 |
Aging Performance
Heat Aging (22 Hours @ 212°F)
| Property | Value | Test Method |
| Hardness Change After Heat Aging 22 Hours @ 212°F | +10 points max. | ASTM D573 |
| Tensile Change After Heat Aging 22 Hours @ 212°F | -25% max. | ASTM D573 |
| Elongation Change After Heat Aging 22 Hours @ 212°F | -25% max. | ASTM D573 |
Outgassing (ASTM E595)
| Property | Value | Test Method |
| Total Mass Loss (TML) / Collected Volatile Condensable Materials (CVCM) | Not tested; no data published by the manufacturer | ASTM E595 |
This grade should not be specified where an outgassing screen applies. Grades we convert with published E595 results are listed in our E595 guide.
- Flange gaskets and washers in automotive, HVAC, and electrical assemblies, die-cut from 50 Shore A solid EPDM sheet in gauges from 1/16″ to 1/4″
- Weatherstrip and enclosure perimeter seals outdoors, where EPDM’s heat, ozone, and sunlight resistance matters
- Water, steam, and mild-chemical sealing (alkalis, acids, oxygenated solvents); not for oil, fuel, or hydrocarbon service
- Electrical enclosure gaskets and sealing washers where color stability and a dense, non-absorbent seal are required
- Thin-gauge gaskets and conformable seals where a lower closure force is wanted than the 60 Shore A 563 grade
Common industries: Automotive, construction, electrical, HVAC, general manufacturing. Not for spacecraft or vacuum hardware (no ASTM E595 data).
553 is a solid, industrial-grade EPDM sheet rubber supplied by American Biltrite as AB-553 (ASTM D2000 3BA508A14C12F17). It is a dense, smooth-finish sheet rather than a sponge: it seals by conforming under bolt load and does not compress volumetrically the way a cellular gasket does. Typical uses are flange gaskets, washers, weatherstrip, and electrical enclosure seals where EPDM chemistry is wanted for resistance to water, steam, ozone, sunlight, alkalis, acids, and oxygenated solvents.
At 50 Shore A it is the softer of the two grades, so it conforms to surface irregularities under lower bolt load. It is available in four thicknesses from 1/16″ to 1/4″. Tensile strength is 1,500 psi minimum (per American Biltrite) and elongation 300% minimum per ASTM D412; compression set is 50% maximum at 22 hours, 158°F, 50% deflection per ASTM D3958; specific gravity is 1.16 g/cc. Ozone resistance is no cracking after 70 hours at 50 pphm and 40°F per ASTM D1149, cold temperature is rated to -40°F minimum per ASTM D2137, and heat aging at 22 hours / 212°F is +10 points hardness, -25% tensile, and -25% elongation maximum per ASTM D573. Service range is -40°F to 250°F.
No ASTM E595 outgassing data (TML / CVCM) is published for this grade, so it is not a candidate for vacuum or contamination-controlled assemblies. For a solid pad or gasket at 50 to 60 Shore A with published E595 results, see SSP2390 platinum-cured silicone or Low Outgassing Silicone Sheeting; for a firm foam, see PORON 4701-60.
What differentiates 553 from 563 in the EPDM sheet series?
553 is the 50 Shore A grade with a specific gravity of 1.16 g/cc, available in four gauges (1/16" through 1/4"); 563 is the 60 Shore A grade, specific gravity 1.2 g/cc, available in eight gauges up to 1". Both are solid, industrial-grade EPDM sheet from American Biltrite (AB-553 and AB-563), with 300% minimum elongation, 50% maximum compression set (22 hrs / 158°F / 50%), and a -40°F to 250°F service range. Choose 553 where the gasket must conform under lower closure force; choose 563 where it must resist deflection or extrusion under higher sustained load, or where a thicker cross-section is needed.
Is 553 a foam or a solid rubber?
553 is a solid EPDM sheet rubber (American Biltrite AB-553), not a sponge or foam. With a specific gravity of 1.16 g/cc it has no cell structure to compress, so it seals by conforming under bolt load rather than by volumetric compression. Where a gasket needs compression travel, a closed-cell EPDM or neoprene sponge, or a microcellular urethane such as PORON, is the right family.
What is the temperature range for 553?
The temperature range is -40°F to 250°F as listed on the TDS. Cold temperature is rated at -40°F minimum per ASTM D2137.
Does 553 have ASTM E595 outgassing data for space or vacuum use?
No. Neither American Biltrite nor H-O publishes ASTM E595 (TML / CVCM) results for this grade, so it should not be specified where an outgassing screen applies. For a solid 50 to 60 Shore A pad with published E595 results, look at SSP2390 platinum-cured silicone or Low Outgassing Silicone Sheeting; for a firm foam, PORON 4701-60. No other compliance standards are listed on the TDS; verify suitability for any regulated application independently.
How should 553 be specified?
Specify grade (553 EPDM sheet / American Biltrite AB-553), Shore A hardness (50), thickness (from the available gauges: 1/16", 1/8", 3/16", 1/4"), color (black), dimensional tolerances, and finished format (sheet, slit roll, or die-cut part).
