Selecting the Best Rubber Lining for Your Pipe System

Natural and synthetic rubber compounds are some of the most common materials found in pipe lining. Their performance in high-impact, high-impingement wear applications make them ideal for many systems requiring reliable, cost-effective wear solutions.

Today, there are countless unique compounds suitable for nearly every application, with many striking a balance between cost-efficiency and high performance in a wide variety of settings. With the number of different rubbers available, it can be challenging to determine which will make the ideal liner for your operation’s pipe system.

Since 1957, Iracore has been manufacturing rubber-lined products for heavy industry around the world. Leveraging over 60 years’ experience, our experts can help you find the right lining compound for the chemical compositions, particle size, and temperatures found in your system, all while providing exceptional value and service. Read on to learn more about the benefits of different compounds in rubber-lined pipe applications.

Soft Natural Gum Rubbers

Soft natural gum rubbers offer outstanding abrasion and tear resistance in the toughest hard rock mining services. They feature excellent resistance to most inorganic chemicals, with the notable exception of strong oxidizing agents. They also lack resistance to sunlight, ozone, and oil, making them unsuitable for applications in challenging weather conditions or in the presence of hydrocarbons. Nonetheless, soft natural gum rubbers are the lowest cost elastomers available today, making them ideal for many industrial use scenarios.

Chlorobutyls/Bromobutyls

Butyl-based rubbers offer excellent resistance to acids and caustic solutions. Additionally, they’re capable of withstanding extreme temperatures up to 260º F. While butyls aren’t recommended if oil or solvents are present, they offer strong performance characteristics in acidic or high-temperature environments.

Neoprenes

Occasionally referred to as chloroprenes, these synthetic rubbers are excellent general purpose wear solutions that can handle a wide variety of applications. In particular, neoprene’s petroleum-resistant properties make it ideal for oil sands applications. Neoprenes perform exceptionally well in high-impact, high-velocity areas of a fluid system, making them the perfect lining material for pipe fittings. Neoprenes also feature exceptional chemical, ozone, weathering and abrasion resistance.

Moderate Oil Resistance (MOR) Rubbers

MORs consist of blended natural gum and nitrile rubber lining for use in abrasion and applications with trace amounts of oil present. Generally, MORs feature similar properties to soft natural gum rubber, with additional oil resistance thanks to the nitrile polymers.

Styrene-Butadiene (SBR) Rubbers

SBRs feature good abrasion resistance, high tensile strength and excellent sliding abrasion resistance. While not commonly found in pipe lining applications, SBRs perform extremely well in pulley lagging or other applications requiring resistance to tearing. SBRs are not suited to applications where oil, ozone, and sunlight are present.

Rubber-Lined Pipe at Iracore

Iracore offers an industry-leading selection of rubber-lined pipe and wear materials for industries of all kinds. Our in-house team of chemists and engineers continually strive to create innovative solutions to heavy industry’s wear challenges. No matter what your system requires, our expert team can help you find the rubber-lined pipe your operation needs for safe, efficient production.