EPDM
EPDM, or Ethylene-Propylene-Diene Monomer, is an elastomer that is used for a variety of functions. An elastomer is any material with sufficient resilience to returning to its original shape in response to pressure or distortions. EPDM is one of the most commonly used synthetic rubbers. Its uses include, but are not limited to, automotive weather-stripping and seals, garden hoses, washers, motor oil, roofing membranes, and electrical insulation.
EPDM is a synthetic rubber polymer made from a combination of propylene and ethylene monomers and is classified as a thermoset material. Thermoset plastics are liquid or malleable polymers that become solid and permanently rigid when cured.
EPDM is so prevalently used because of its saturated polymer backbone structure and excellent resistance to heat, oxidation, ozone and weather aging, and polar solvents, such as water and acid. Because of these qualities, EPDM is good for outdoor applications. Since the material's introduction in the early 1960s, billions of square feet of EPDM have been produced.