Materials / Compare

Rubber vs. Stainless Steel 303

Compare Rubber vs. Stainless Steel 303 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

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RubberBulk polymer (molded or machined)
Stainless Steel 303Wrought
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Mechanical
Yield strengthnot given (tensile used)275MPasourceOutokumpu typical (product P = hot rolled plate, transverse)
Ultimate tensile strength23MPasourcetypical585MPasourceOutokumpu typical
Elongation at break830%sourcetypical35%sourceOutokumpu typical, A5
Young's modulus (stiffness)not sourced200GPasourceat RT (Table 12)
Density960kg/m³sourcetypical (specific gravity)7,900kg/m³sourceat RT
Strength to weight24kN·m/kg34.8kN·m/kg45% higher
Stiffness to weightnot sourced25.3MN·m/kg
Poisson's ratio0.5sourcegovernment (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 modulusnot sourced76.9GPa
Bulk modulusnot sourced167GPa
Speed of soundnot sourced5,032m/s
Thermal
Thermal conductivity0.151W/m·Ksourcegovernment selected value (US Army Natick Laboratories TR 66-49-PR, 1966), soft vulcanized natural rubber, 25 °C15W/m·Ksourceat RT
Thermal expansionnot sourced16µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C
100 mm part over a 50 °C swingnot sourced80µm growth
Specific heat1,881J/kg·Ksourcegovernment (NBS J. Res. 68A, Table 7; values observed for unvulcanized NR by Bekkedahl and Matheson), 25 °C500J/kg·Ksourceat RT
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)0.0836mm²/s3.8mm²/s45.4x faster
Thermal shock resistancenot sourced902W/m
Max service temperature70°Csourcecontinuous use operating range871°Csourcecontinuous, scaling limit
Values forWeir Minerals Linatex Premium rubber (95 % natural rubber), typical physical properties, spec sheet WMD0118/2023051.4305 / UNS S30300, Outokumpu typical values (hot rolled, solution annealed) from 'Steel Grades, Properties and Global Standards'; max service from Carpenter CarTech 303 datasheet

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 Steel 303?

Stainless Steel 303 is stronger: its yield strength is 275 MPa against tensile strength 23 MPa for Rubber (12x).

Which is lighter, Rubber or Stainless Steel 303?

Rubber is lighter: 960 kg/m³ against 7,900 kg/m³ for Stainless Steel 303.

Which is lighter for the same job, Rubber or Stainless Steel 303?

For the same stiffness or strength: Rubber is lighter for a strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless Steel 303 is lighter for a strong rod or tie.

Part that must beRubberStainless Steel 303
Strong rod or tie45% heavierlighter
Strong beamlighter1.57x heavier
Strong panel or platelighter2.38x 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 Steel 303?

Stainless Steel 303 conducts heat better: 15 W/m·K against 0.151 W/m·K for Rubber.

Among 59 materials

1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelStainless Steel 303
Stiffness against density
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 304Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VBrass C260Nickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickRubberStainless Steel 303
Strength against density

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