5/27/2020 Shelf Life vs.

Service Life in Rubber Products

Shelf Life vs. Service Life in Rubber Products

Shelf Life vs. Service Life
by Shi Hwang
The following are answers to frequently asked questions regarding the shelf life of rubber products.

How close to the end of the expiration date of the shelf life can rubber products be used?
It depends on the storage conditions, which can affect the quality and shelf life of rubber products. If stored under the
most suitable conditions, it could be used through or even beyond the expiration date of its shelf life.
Bad storage conditions can shorten the expected shelf life. Rubber products should be stored in a dry cool place and
should be protected from light, moisture, oxygen, heat, ozone, any chemicals and deformation. Storage temperature
should be below 25°C however, below 15°C is preferable.
Shelf life does not guarantee the quality of a product; therefore, rubber products should remain in storage for as short time
as possible. During storage, rubber products can undergo changes in physical properties and ultimately become
unusable.
If the shelf life has expired, rubber products should be carefully evaluated for possible use as originally intended before
discarding products solely based on the suggested shelf life.

Is the shelf life an issue for storage only or usage?

It is an issue for storage only. Shelf life is one issue and service life is another. However, one should keep in mind that
storage conditions can affect the service life of rubber products.

Recommended shelf life of various polymers

The recommended shelf life generally associated with products fabricated from various polymers is listed below and is
based on information provided in MIL-HDBK-695D Military Standardization Handbook Rubber Products: Recommended
Shelf Life. These numbers represent average shelf life under normal dry/cool storage conditions and should be used for
guidance purposes only. Shelf life varies depending on product specifications and compound design. For recommended
shelf life of specific WARCO BILTRITE compounds, please contact our Technical Department at 714–532–3355 or email
us at sales@warco.com.

Common or Trade Name Recommended Shelf Life

Silicone 20 years

Viton®, Fluorel 20 years

Neoprene 5-10 years

EPDM 5-10 years

Butyl 5-10 years

Nitrile, NBR 5-10 years

SBR 3-5 years

Natural Rubber, Pure Gum 3-5 years

Visit our Polymer pages for more information about specific polymers.

Shi Hwang is the Technical Director at WARCO BILTRITE.

If you have any specific questions that your would like Mr. Shi Hwang to answer, email your questions to sales@warco.com or you
may contact us directly at (714) 532-3355.

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