Rubber is a widely used material throughout many different industries. We find various rubber profiles in our cars, in aircraft, it’s used in the food and drinks industry and forms a vital part of manufacturing equipment around the world.
It seals our windows at home, helps empty the washing machine, keeps bottles sealed and a whole host of other things.
Rubber profiles and extrusions are also widely used in the scientific sector, whether that’s the development of pharmaceuticals, in local schools and colleges or helping to deliver cutting edge research in universities and private businesses and organisations.
How Important are Rubber Profiles in Science?
Rubber has been used for a variety of industrial purposes since the early 19th century when vulcanization as a process was developed. As a useful product, however, it’s been around for thousands of years.
When it comes to research and science, there are several benefits that the range of natural and synthetic rubbers currently on the market on the market deliver. These include:
- Rubber is readily available and highly durable, it’s also cheap to buy.
- It is very flexible and can be stretched many times without actually breaking.
- Rubber products are resistant to corrosive materials and make excellent electrical insulators.
- Rubber is relatively easy to mould into different shapes and profiles which means that products can be made to order for any aspect of science or research activity.
Uses of Rubber Profiles and Extrusions in Science
When we think of rubber being used in science, tubing for Bunsen burners and bungs for specimen bottles tend to come to mind first. Rubber is used extensively in research facilities across the world, however.
Rubber extrusions can provide airtight seals for compartments and are employed when developing new machinery and products for other industries.
The science industry is far more than people in white coats mixing chemicals in a laboratory. Science sectors include health and medical development, engineering, defence and aviation. Around the world, scientists are exploring ways for humans to travel and live in space, how to produce more food by improving agricultural processes, developing new sources of energy, how to combat climate change and how to make a car go without using fossil fuels.
You may be surprised by the role that rubber profiles and extrusions play in this industry alone. Profiles range from U, T, P and L shapes, materials can include natural rubber, EPDM, neoprene and nitrile all of which have their individual properties which are essential in research and development.
The great thing about rubber is that it can be moulded into almost any shape and there are thousands of different extrusions and profiles available on the market today. The science industry often requires rubber profiles and extrusions that are made to measure for specific purposes.
For example, a lab may require rubber of different hardness and flexibility, reinforced tubing or something with specific qualities like platinum cured silicone. These products not only find their way into research and development organisations but schools and colleges where future scientists are being trained. Each year thousands of miles of profiles and extrusions are created to support the scientific industry helping to support future developments that change the world we live in.
