Nitrile is inherently resistant to hydraulic fluids, lubricating oils, transmission fluids and other non-polar petroleum based products due to the polar structure of this elastomer.
Nitriles are also resistant to air and water environments.
By hydrogenation, carboxylic acid addition, or PVC blending, the nitrile polymer can meet a more specified range of physical or chemical requirements. The carboxyl group is added to significantly improve nitrile's abrasion resistance while retaining excellent oil and solvent resistance. XNBR compounds provide high tensile strength and good physical properties at high temperatures. PVC resins are blended with nitrile polymers to provide increased resistance to ozone and abrasion. The PVC also provides a significant improvement in solvent resistance yet maintains similar chemical and physical properties, commonly noted among nitrile elastomers.