K•Prene® has been used successfully for potting and encapsulation at frequencies up to 100 kilocycles and at temperatures up to 212° F. Typical electrical properties are shown below.

typical electrical properties2 of kprene

K•Prene® has outstanding abrasion resistance and can outlast conventional rubbers and plastics which leads to many important applications where severe wear is a problem. The selection of K•Prene® for these end uses is normally based on service tests, since laboratory abrasion tests can be misleading. In actual use K•Prene® has demonstrated more than eight times the abrasion resistance of ordinary rubbers and plastics.

During fabrication of composite parts, K•Prene® can be readily adhered to many metals, elastomers and plastics to form a bond that is often stronger than the elastomer itself. Also, because of its hardness and rigidity, K•Prene® components can be mechanically fastened to metal, wood, or concrete structures with practical results.

K•Prene® has a low, unlubricated coefficient of friction which decreases sharply with the harder grades such as K-750D. This property, in combinations with superior load bearing ability and abrasion resistance, makes K•Prene® desirable for use in bearings and bushings.

K•Prene® will resist cracking under repeated flexure and accordingly finds successful use in many dynamic applications such as flexible hoses and couplings. In all elastomers the rate of cut growth can be reduced by decreasing the thickness of the part, normally with a corresponding loss in strength. With K•Prene®, however, thin sections can be used effectively because of this elastomer’s exceptional strength and toughness.

K•Prene® has significantly better impact resistance than structural plastics. All grades of K•Prene® including the hardest grade K-750D show good impact resistance at low temperatures and low brittle points.

Measurements of tensile strength for K•Prene® are not used as frequently by the design engineer as compression measurements. This is because the elastomer is used less frequently in tension. On the other hand, tension tests are commonly used by the rubber compounder and are almost universally used to establish the general performance characteristics of the elastomer. (Tensile stress-strain curves for various grades of K•Prene® are shown above). Note that they possess high strength even at low elongations, and that hard grades as well exhibit good elongation.