Materials / Compare
Rubber vs. Stainless 316
Compare Rubber vs. Stainless 316 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | not given (tensile used) | 265MPasourcetypical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 23MPasourcetypical | 583MPasourcetypical (representative), annealed 1.0 mm sheet |
| Elongation at break | 830%sourcetypical | 61%sourcetypical (representative), annealed, in 2 in. (51 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | not sourced | 200GPasourcetypical, in tension |
| Density | 960kg/m³sourcetypical (specific gravity) | 8,027kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 24kN·m/kg | 33kN·m/kg38% higher |
| Stiffness to weight | not sourced | 24.9MN·m/kg |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.5sourcegovernment (NBS J. Res. 68A, 1964): computed by NBS for peroxide-cured gum NR vulcanizate, 25 °C, infinitesimal deformation0.49 in the solver: the linear element locks as the ratio nears 0.5 (nearly incompressible). | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | not sourced | 76.9GPa |
| Bulk modulus | not sourced | 167GPa |
| Speed of sound | not sourced | 4,992m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 0.151W/m·Ksourcegovernment selected value (US Army Natick Laboratories TR 66-49-PR, 1966), soft vulcanized natural rubber, 25 °C | 14.6W/m·Ksource20–100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | not sourced | 16.5µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | not sourced | 82.5µm growth |
| Specific heat | 1,881J/kg·Ksourcegovernment (NBS J. Res. 68A, Table 7; values observed for unvulcanized NR by Bekkedahl and Matheson), 25 °C | 450J/kg·Ksourceat 20 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 0.0836mm²/s | 4.04mm²/s48.3x faster |
| Thermal shock resistance | not sourced | 821W/m |
| Melting point | not sourced | 1,390–1,440°Csourcemelting range |
| Max service temperature | 70°Csourcecontinuous use operating range | 871–899°Csourceoxidation (scaling) limit in air |
| Values for | Weir Minerals Linatex Premium rubber (95 % natural rubber), typical physical properties, spec sheet WMD0118/202305 | ATI 316 (UNS S31600), annealed 1.0 mm sheet, ATI technical data sheet (2012); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Is Rubber stronger than Stainless 316?
Stainless 316 is stronger: its yield strength is 265 MPa against tensile strength 23 MPa for Rubber (11.5x).
Which is lighter, Rubber or Stainless 316?
Rubber is lighter: 960 kg/m³ against 8,027 kg/m³ for Stainless 316.
Which is lighter for the same job, Rubber or Stainless 316?
For the same stiffness or strength: Rubber is lighter for a strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless 316 is lighter for a strong rod or tie.
| Part that must be | Rubber | Stainless 316 |
|---|---|---|
| Strong rod or tie | 38% heavier | lighter |
| Strong beam | lighter | 1.64x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.46x heavier |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Rubber or Stainless 316?
Stainless 316 conducts heat better: 14.6 W/m·K against 0.151 W/m·K for Rubber.