Specialty elastomers are more expensive than standard elastomers hence there is always a demand for materials solutions which make the best use of the specialty high performance elastomer at the lowest cost.

Clwyd Compounders together with various polymer suppliers have developed a number of such solutions. These involve the use of the high performance polymer in the critical area at optimum thickness to perform as a barrier layer supported by a lower cost elastomer forming the volume of the component.

The solution involves developing compounds that can be bonded together without the need of a bonding agent. The compounds must have very similar good processing properties and cure rates such that they can be easily manufactured.

The development of other composites is to improve the performance of single elastomer components by the addition of a non-elastomeric material.

Typical components and constructions are:-

Fuel filler neck hose using fluoroelastomer (FKM) as the barrier layer and nitrile polyvinyl-chloride (PVC/Nitrile) as the volume outer. The method of making the component is by co-injection molding. (Photograph)

Fuel line hose using fluoroelastomer (FKM) as the barrier layer and epichlorohydrin (ECO) as the volume outer. The method of manufacture is by co-extrusion. (Photograph)

Turbo charger hose using fluoroelastomer (FKM) as the barrier layer and silicone (VMQ) as the volume outer. The method of manufacturing the component is by hand building.

Down hole oil well seals made from hydrogenated nitrile (HNBR) with steel coil spring inserts and fibre reinforcements. The component is produced by transfer molding.