When purchasing gaskets for industrial, automotive, or food equipment, you need to select the right gasket material. This is not only related to the gasket price, but also affects the gasket performance. Here, we carefully compare rubber gaskets and silicone gaskets so that you can select the best gasket material for your business.
What Is A Rubber Gasket？
A rubber gasket is a mechanical sealing component, which is usually made from elastomer materials such as NBR, EPDM, or neoprene. If you are in the industrial equipment field, you will frequently come across rubber gaskets. This is because it has good performance and a relatively low cost.
In general, the rubber gasket is widely used as a sealing accessory to isolate oil. For example, if you are looking for automotive parts and want to reduce oil erosion on engine parts, you can consider using rubber sealing gaskets.
What Is A Silicone Gasket？
A silicone gasket is a sealing element made of silicone elastomer. If your application requires high-temperature resistance, long-term durability, and compliance with relevant standards, silicone gaskets are usually the better choice.
You can usually use silicone gaskets in food processing, electronic products, and high-temperature industrial equipment. This is because silicone can still maintain good flexibility and sealing stability in an extremely wide temperature range.
Rubber vs Silicone Gasket in Every Aspect
As a wholesale gasket buyer, you may wonder which gasket is better. So we will compare rubber gaskets and silicone in many aspects below to let you figure out the answer.
Temperature Resistance
The temperature resistance of rubber gaskets and silicone gaskets varies significantly. Overall, the silicone gasket temperature resistance is superior to that of rubber gaskets.
Rubber Gasket
The long-term working temperature of rubber gaskets is from -40℃ to 120℃. Within this temperature range, the rubber is very stable. However, if you put the rubber gasket at temperatures above 120℃ for a long time, its flexibility will significantly decrease. And over time, the rubber will harden and become brittle.
Consequently, this makes you replace the gasket frequently, which will undoubtedly increase your costs.
Silicone Gasket
The long-term working temperature of silicone is from -60℃ to 230℃. This means the silicone gasket has better temperature resistance. Whether you use it for a long time in industrial high-temperature pipelines or outdoor equipment in cold regions, it will not age or crack easily.
Compression Set
Whether it is food-grade, industrial-grade, or medical-grade silicone gaskets, they all need to withstand tremendous pressure during long-term use. Therefore, comparing the compression set between silicone gaskets and rubber gaskets is also very important for you. To be honest, silicone gaskets have a better compression set.
Rubber Gasket
Generally, ordinary rubber and NBR rubber have relatively weak compression sets. Although high-end EPDM rubber has improved compression set, it is still not as good as silicone. So, if you want to avoid the short lifespan of your gasket, rubber gaskets may not be suitable. This is because rubber gaskets tend to deform very easily after long-term pressure.
Silicone Gasket
However, the silicone compression set is better. Even if you use the silicone gasket in high-pressure situations for a long time, it will not easily deform. For example, when you apply the silicone sealing gasket to the flange connection of high-pressure pipelines, even under the tight bolt force and the medium pressure for a long time, it still does not loosen.
This greatly extends the silicon’s lifespan, and thereby reduces your repurchase and maintenance costs. So, obviously, using silicone sealing gaskets in high-pressure environments is a more reliable choice for you.
Aging & UV Resistance
Being able to handle complex environments is crucial for you when choosing the gasket. And it’s more important for the industrial sealing gasket. Overall, industrial-grade silicone gaskets have better anti-aging than industrial-grade rubber gaskets.
Rubber Gasket
Specifically, the industrial rubber gasket is highly susceptible to the environment. When it is exposed to outdoor environments such as sunlight and ozone, it will age rapidly. It will gradually lose elasticity and become brittle or even crack. These faults will reduce your customers’ trust.
Silicone Gasket
While the industrial silicone gasket has excellent anti-aging performance. When you use silicone gaskets for outdoor sealing, they can effectively resist ultraviolet rays and ozone. For example, when you install silicone gaskets on outdoor LED street lights, even if they are constantly exposed to the sun and eroded by ozone, the LED silicone gaskets will not harden or crack.
Therefore, choosing silicone gaskets will be beneficial to enhance the outdoor performance of your gaskets.
Mechanical Strength
For applications such as industrial machinery and medical sealing components, sealing gaskets should have good mechanical strength. You can consider it as tensile strength and tear resistance. The gasket with good mechanical strength is more durable.
Rubber Gasket
Unlike other performances, the mechanical strength of general rubber gaskets is usually superior to that of ordinary silicone gaskets. Meanwhile, this is even more prominent in EPDM rubber gaskets and NBR rubber gaskets.
Usually, rubber sealing gaskets can withstand frequent vibrations and be very wear-resistant. So, in this case, you should opt for rubber gaskets over silicone gaskets. Suppose you need to choose the right automotive sheet metal gasket, EPDM rubber will be your best choice. These automotive sealing gaskets can easily endure pulling during installation or disassembly.
Silicone Gasket
In contrast, although silicone has good flexibility, the mechanical strength of general silicone is relatively poor. We do not suggest using it in high-vibration or frequently-tensioned applications. This will cause your silicone gasket to tear, and thus cause the equipment to operate unstably.
Sealing Lifespan
You also need to consider the gasket sealing lifespan. This comparison can help you better understand the durability of your gaskets.
Rubber Gasket
The rubber gasket may perform well initially, but it cannot withstand long-term wear. Especially when it’s exposed to high temperatures or chemicals, it will age faster. For example, when you put EPDM rubber gaskets into the flange joints of high-temperature steam pipes above 100 ° C, within half a year, these rubber gaskets will permanently collapse and harden.
Silicone Gasket
However, thanks to the excellent temperature resistance, anti-aging, and other properties, the lifespan of silicone gaskets is 3-5 times or even more than that of rubber gaskets. In high-temperature and outdoor environments, this advantage is even more obvious. This means you don’t need to restock frequently and handle after-sales failures frequently.
Chemical Compatibility
For rubber and silicone gaskets, you should also know their chemical resistance. Specifically, these two gasket materials do not have uniform chemical resistance. Instead, they each have their own advantages. You need to understand them separately.
Rubber Gasket
If you want to use the gasket in situations involving oil or fuel, the rubber gasket, especially NBR rubber, is a superior alternative to silicone. This is because rubber does not tend to expand or degrade in petroleum-based environments. Therefore, rubber gaskets have become standard industrial and automotive gasket materials.
Silicone Gasket
But once you want to apply gaskets to environments involving water, steam, or oxidation, you’re better off choosing silicone. When the silicone sealing gasket is present in these environments, it does not easily deteriorate or break.
But you should avoid using silicone gaskets in strong solvents or high-concentration fuels. This will cause the silicone to expand and lose its sealing performance.
Food & Medical Compliance
If you are in the food or medical industry, it is necessary for you to purchase sealing gaskets that meet food or medical standards. In this case, you should go for silicone gaskets rather than rubber gaskets.
Rubber Gasket
Most rubber gaskets cannot meet the food-grade or medical-grade standards. This is because these rubber gasket materials contain sulfur agents or plasticizers. As a result, this causes your rubber gaskets to fail the strict tests. And this further results in you being fined, which will seriously damage your brand image.
Silicone Gasket
In contrast, food-grade silicone is non-toxic, odorless and meets strict FDA or LFGB standards. Meanwhile, medical-grade silicone also passes the ISO10933 and USP Class VI tests. As a result, your gaskets can safely contact food and the human body. Therefore, silicone is the better material for you when purchasing food-grade gaskets and medical-grade gaskets.
Manufacturing & Customization
Gasket manufacturing and customization services are also something you need to consider. This is because you need to use the appropriate sealing gaskets in different equipment and applications.
Rubber Gasket
If you only need standard ready-made gaskets, rubber is a better gasket material for you. This is because the rubber gaskets have a simpler manufacturing process and are more standardized. Therefore, to satisfy your requirement for large-scale orders of common standard gaskets, rubber material is a wise choice for you.
Silicone Gasket
However, once you want more complex and more precise customized gaskets, we suggest you purchase silicone gaskets. And liquid silicone rubber is especially suitable for you. It can be precisely molded by injection molding to make regular gaskets with complex structures. This can perfectly meet your customization needs.
Cost vs Long-Term Value
As a gasket wholesaler, you naturally need to compare the wholesale cost of the gaskets. And you need to consider both short-term cost and long-term cost for gaskets.
Rubber Gasket
If you are purchasing gaskets for a cost-sensitive project, you can choose rubber gaskets. This is because rubber gaskets usually have a lower initial cost than silicone gaskets. This makes it more suitable for short-term projects.
However, the rubber gaskets may be more prone to damage, which requires you to pay more maintenance costs.
Silicone Gasket
However, considering you value long-term costs more, perhaps silicone gaskets are a better choice for you. Although the initial price of silicone gaskets is indeed higher than that of rubber gaskets, silicone gaskets will not increase your overall cost.
In the long run, silicone gaskets have a longer lifespan, so you can replace them less frequently. This will let you pay lower costs. Therefore, since you value reliability and long-term benefits, you can give priority to silicone sealing gaskets.
Rubber vs Silicone Gasket Comparison Table
To make it clearer for you to compare the differences between rubber gaskets and silicone gaskets, here is a table for you to quickly glance through.
| Comparison Dimension | Rubber Gasket | Silicone Gasket |
| Temperature Resistance
| -40℃ ~ 120℃, easy to harden over 120℃ | -60℃ ~ 230℃, stable in extreme temp |
| Compression Set
| Poor recovery, easy to deform permanently | Excellent recovery, stable under high pressure |
| Aging & UV Resistance | Vulnerable to outdoor aging, easy cracking | Good UV/ozone resistance, durable outdoors |
| Mechanical Strength
| High tensile, tear resistance, anti-vibration | Flexible but generally lower, easy to tear |
| Sealing Lifespan | Short, frequent replacement
| 3-5x longer than rubber |
| Chemical Compatibility
| Good for oil, fuel | Good for water, steam, oxidation; not for strong solvents |
| Food & Medical Compliance
| Fails FDA/LFGB | Compliant with FDA/LFGB, non-toxic; ISO10933 and USP Class VI |
| Manufacturing & Customization | Cost-effective for standard gaskets | Suitable for complex precision customization |
| Cost & Long-Term Value
| Low upfront, higher long-term cost | High upfront, lower long-term cost |
Which Gasket Should You Choose for Your Application?
After comparing rubber and silicone gaskets across multiple factors, the real question for you is which material is better for your specific application. Instead of focusing on a single property, you should make your decision based on your actual working conditions. Here are the different suitable conditions for rubber gaskets and silicone gaskets.
Choose Rubber Gaskets
If you need to use gaskets in the following situations, you should prioritize rubber gaskets over silicone gaskets.
- You need strong oil or fuel resistance.
- Your gasket will face high mechanical stress or vibration.
- You are using standard, mass-produced gasket sizes.
- Your project is cost-sensitive and requires a lower upfront investment.
Choose Silicone Gaskets
If your gaskets should be applied to the conditions below, it’s wise for you to choose silicone gaskets rather than rubber gaskets.
- Your application involves high or low temperatures.
- Your gasket is used outdoors or exposed to UV/ozone.
- You want a longer lifespan and fewer replacements.
- You need food-grade or medical-grade compliance.
- You require customized or precision-molded gaskets.
FAQ
Do Silicone Gaskets Leak Compared to Rubber Gaskets?
In high-temperature and outdoor environments, silicone gaskets are generally less likely to leak than rubber gaskets. This is because it has better flexibility and aging resistance. However, if you use gaskets in oil or fuel, rubber gaskets usually provide a more reliable seal and are less prone to leakage.
Can Silicone Gaskets Replace Rubber Gaskets?
No, silicone gaskets cannot fully replace rubber gaskets. While silicone performs better in temperature resistance and aging, rubber is still the better choice in oil, fuel, and high mechanical strength environments. So you need to select the suitable material depending on your applications. Do not think the silicone gaskets must be better in every aspect.
What Industries Commonly Use Rubber vs Silicone gaskets?
Rubber gaskets are commonly used in automotive, machinery, and industrial equipment. While silicone gaskets are widely used in food processing, medical devices, electronics, and outdoor applications. Therefore, before you purchase the gaskets, you need to determine the usage fields of your gaskets.
How Do I Choose the Right Gasket Supplier?
You should evaluate gasket suppliers based on material expertise, production capacity, customization capability, and certifications. Working with an experienced gasket manufacturer can help you avoid material selection mistakes and reduce long-term costs.
Can I Request Gasket Samples before Bulk Ordering?
Yes, most professional gasket suppliers offer samples for testing before bulk orders. This allows you to verify gasket performance under real working conditions and lets you purchase the gasket more confidently.
Final Thought
After evaluation, if you think the silicone gasket is what you need, please take a look at Legensilico. As a professional Chinese silicone supplier, we can provide you with high-quality silicone gaskets at a reasonable wholesale price. Moreover, we can also offer you customized silicone gasket services.
