Rubber Chemical Compatibility Chart: EPDM, Silicone, Viton® & More
Pick the chemical and get every elastomer family ranked — or check one material against one medium. Covers EPDM, silicone, FKM/Viton®, nitrile, neoprene, butyl, natural rubber, and HNBR across 20 common media, with the full chart below the tool.
Built for: first-pass gasket material screening against coolants, fuels, oils, solvents, acids, and weather exposure.
Chemical Compatibility Checker
Full compatibility chart — 8 elastomer families × 20 media
| Medium | EPDM | Silicone (VMQ) | FKM (Viton®) | Nitrile (Buna-N) | Neoprene (CR) | Butyl (IIR) | Natural rubber | HNBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (ambient) | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A |
| Steam to 150 °C | A | X | X | X | X | B | X | C |
| Seawater | A | A | A | B | A | A | B | A |
| Glycol coolant (50/50) | A | B | B | B | B | A | B | A |
| Mineral / engine oil | X | C | A | A | B | X | X | A |
| Gasoline | X | X | A | B | C | X | X | B |
| Diesel / kerosene | X | X | A | A | C | X | X | A |
| Hydraulic oil (petroleum) | X | C | A | A | B | X | X | A |
| Phosphate-ester fluid (Skydrol®) | A | C | X | X | X | A | X | X |
| Brake fluid (glycol DOT 3/4) | A | C | X | C | B | A | B | C |
| Acetone / ketones | A | C | X | X | X | A | C | X |
| Isopropyl alcohol | A | B | B | B | B | A | B | B |
| Toluene / aromatic solvents | X | X | A | X | X | X | X | C |
| Dilute acids (~10%) | A | B | A | C | B | A | B | B |
| Concentrated acids | C | X | B | X | X | C | X | X |
| Dilute alkalis (~10%) | A | B | C | B | B | A | B | B |
| Ozone / UV / weathering | A | A | A | X | B | A | X | B |
| Ammonia (aqueous) | A | B | X | C | B | A | B | B |
| Vegetable oils | C | B | A | A | B | C | X | A |
| Hot air (120 °C) | B | A | A | C | C | B | X | B |
General room-temperature ratings synthesized from widely published elastomer compatibility references. A = excellent, B = good, C = conditional (concentration/temperature dependent), X = not recommended. Compound-specific behavior varies — always verify against the specific compound TDS or supplier chart before specifying, especially above ambient temperature.
Legend: A — Excellent · B — Good · C — Conditional / limited · X — Not recommended
These results are engineering estimates for preliminary material selection; final validation is the responsibility of your engineering team.
Common questions
What rubber is best for chemical resistance?
No single family wins everything. FKM (Viton®) leads on fuels, oils, and aromatic solvents; EPDM leads on water, steam, glycols, brake fluid, and ketones — almost mirror images. FFKM covers nearly everything at a price. Start from the medium, not the material.
Is EPDM oil resistant?
No. EPDM swells badly in petroleum oils, fuels, and greases — it is the classic misapplication. Its strengths are water, steam, coolants, brake fluid, ozone, and outdoor exposure.
What is Viton compatible with?
FKM/Viton® handles petroleum oils, fuels, aromatic solvents, and many concentrated acids. Its known weaknesses: ketones (acetone), glycol brake fluid, phosphate-ester hydraulic fluids (Skydrol®), hot water/steam, and ammonia.
Are these ratings guaranteed?
No — they are general room-temperature guidance synthesized from widely published references. Concentration, temperature, and the specific compound formulation all change results. Verify against the compound’s own TDS or immersion data (ASTM D471) before specifying; for aggressive service, request immersion testing.
What about FFKM?
Perfluoroelastomer (FFKM) approaches PTFE-like chemical inertness and covers most media rated X above; H-O stocks FFKM in general-purpose, steam, aerospace (AMS7257) and USP Class VI grades. It is the escalation path when nothing else survives.