Buildings
Structure, lining, insulation or finish depending on family.
Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
Strength48
Heat resistance40
Fire performance18
Insulation38
Workability74
Circularity46
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Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
Is Natural rubber non-combustible?
Declared reaction class in this atlas: combustible; tyres are a fire load. Assemblies still need resistance tests.
Does Natural rubber insulate?
Thermal mark 38/100 versus the atlas. Conductivity note: ~0.15 W/m·K.
What is the density band?
~0.92 g/cm³
How is it made?
Origin story: Mesoamerican use / Goodyear 1839 / Wickham 1876 (Amazonia → Malaysia).
Can it be recycled?
Circularity mark 46/100 — editorial, route-specific.
Typical melting or failure heat?
elastomer; decomposes on heat
heat 40 · fire 18
Natural rubber earns its keep in systems: a beam, a batt, a fibre blend, a coated steel — rarely a lone coupon.
Products below are cultural landmarks as much as SKUs.
Sectors
Transport
Mass, fire and fatigue rewrite the grade list.
Energy
Heat, voltage and hydrogen compatibility.
Consumer
The volume that pays for the mill.
Medical / food
When allowed — extractables and allergies matter.
Defence / safety
Ballistics, FR clothing, fire stops.
Products
Charles Goodyear
1839
John Boyd Dunlop
1888
Michelin Bibendum
1898
Hevea tapping
20th c.
Fordlandia
1928
F1 slick
1950s–
Surgical glove
19th c.–
Eraser
18th c.–
Pairings
silicone
The high-temp elastomer NR cannot be.
polyethylene
Another C-H chain, thermoplastic not elastic.
nylon
Tyre cord partner.
steel
Bead wire and belts in radial tyres.
If the pairing is wrong, the material will be blamed for a system fault.
Keep exploring
More in Polymers
🧴
Polyethylene
The world’s volume plastic — bags, bottles, pipes and the UHMWPE cousin in medical and ballistic fibre.
Overall 40 🍳PTFE
Plunkett’s slippery fluoropolymer — non-stick, chemical linings and a high-temp plastic that still has a fire-and-fume story.
Overall 41 🫧Silicone
Si–O backbone elastomers and resins — bakeware, medical tubing, façade sealants and a kinder high-temp story than carbon chains.
Overall 55