How To Read ASTM D2000 Specifications

The overwhelming majority of specifications for rubber compounds are based on ASTM D 2000, “Standard Classification for Rubber Products in Automotive Applications” A
second standard, SAE J200, “Classification System for Rubber Products”, is for all intents and purposes, identical to ASTM D 2000, so for the purpose of this discussion we will
address the ASTM D 2000.

ASTM D 2000 is actually very easy to understand, once the fundamentals are broken down.

The combination of the document number (in our example D 2000), the revision year, the prefix letter “M”, the grade number, type and class designation, the hardness and tensile
strength, and the suffix requirements, if any, constitute what is known as a line call-out, which is another name for material specification.

In the sections below, we have taken the line call-out specification for our standard 70 durometer nitrile, N-7002, and broken it down to its individual elements.

ASTM D 2000 - Year & Units of Measure

Revision Year:

This is the year that the standard was last revised; in this case 2003.

Units of Measure:

The “M” signifies that all units of measure used in reporting test results will be in International System of Units, or SI for short. In other words, they will be in metric units, such
as degrees Centigrade instead of Fahrenheit, mega Pascals instead of psi, etc. If no M is present, then English units of measure are to be assumed, although this is becoming
increasingly rare, as the change to SI units occurred in 1980.

ASTM D 2000 - Material Grade, Type, & Class

Material Grade:

This is the Grade number of the material. Grade numbers are commonly specified when the basic requirements (Grade 1) do not sufficiently cover the desired properties of a given
material. Designating a grade other than 1 allows for the addition of suffix requirements.

Material Type:

This is the type of material. Type is used to classify materials by temperature resistance. ASTM D2000 requires that rubber materials must meet the following requirements after
70 hours of heat aging at various temperatures, according to type.
1. Change in tensile strength: ±30%
2. Change in hardness: -50% max.
3. Change in hardness: ±15 points.

The test temperature by type and material type conversion equivalents are as follows:
Ty Test
pe Tem
p, °C

A 70

B 100

C 125

D 150

E 175

F 200

G 225

H 250

J 275

K 300

Equivalents for
Conversion

AST AST Type of

M M Polyme
D735 D200 r
-SAE 0- Normall
J14 SAE y Used
Mate J200
rial Mate
Desig rial
natio Desig
n natio
(Typ n
e and (Typ
Class e and
) Class
Ty Test
pe Tem
p, °C

R AA Natural
rubber,
reclaime
d
rubber,
SBR
butyl

R BA High
temperat
ure SBR
and
butyl
compou
nds

SC BC Cloropre
ne
polymer
s
(neopren
e)

— BE Cloropre
ne
polymer
s
(neopren
e)

— BF NBR
polymer
s

SB BG NBR
polymer
s

SA BK Organic
dihalide
polymer
s
Ty Test
pe Tem
p, °C

(Thickol
), NBR

— CA Ethyl
propylen
e

— CE Chloros
ulfonate
d
polyethy
lene
(Hypalo
n)

— CH NBR
Polymer
s

— DF Polyacry
lic
(butyl-
acrylate
type)

TB DH Polyacry
lic
polymer
s

— EE AEM,
(Vamac)

TA FC Silicone
s (high
strength)

— FE Silicone
s

— FK Fluorina
ted
 Ty Test
pe Tem
p, °C

silicones

TA GE Silicone
s

— HK Fluorina
ted
elastome
rs
(Viton)

Material Class:

This is the class of material. Class is used to differentiate materials on the basis of resistance to swelling in IRM No. 903 Oil, after 70 hours at the temperatures per the
immediately preceding table.

A maximum temperature of 150°C has been established, which is the limit of stability of the
test oil. The maximum allowable volume swell by class is set forth in the table on the right.

Class Max. Swell, %

A No Requirement

B 140

C 120

D 100

E 80

F 60

G 40

H 30
 Class Max. Swell, %

J 20

K 10

ASTM D 2000 - DUROMETER & TENSILE STRENGTH

After type and class have been determined, durometer hardness and tensile strength are defined by a three-digit number, in our example, 714, the “7” denotes a material of with a
durometer hardness, in A units, of 70 ±5. The “14” means that the tensile strength must be at least 14 mega Pascals, or 2031psi.

ASTM D 2000 - SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

In those cases where the end user has a special requirement, not covered by the tests in the table above, these may be designated as “Z” requirements. They are user defined,
should always be clearly specified, and agreed upon by the customer and compounder and/or molder in advance

The numeric characters in suffix requirements serve two purposes. The first number specifies the duration of the test, and the test method to be employed. The second number
indicates the temperature at which the test is to be run. In our example, “B14” means that the compression set test must be run using Test Method D 395 for a period of 22 hours.
The test temperature is 100°C.

It should be noted that with the exception of FC, FE, FK, and GE materials, the color of all materials is assumed to be black. In fact, changing the color of a rubber material almost
always has an effect (frequently adverse) on its physical properties, and equivalent performance cannot always be achieved. It is also important that suffix requirements be
specified only as needed to achieve the desired properties in the end product. It is not necessary, or even desirable, to specify all available suffix requirements for a given grade
number.

Suffi Required Test

x

A Heat Resistance

B Compression Set

C Ozone or Weather
Resistance

D Compression-
Deflection Resistance

EA Water Resistance

EF Fuel Resistance

EO Oil and Lubricant

Suffi Required Test
x

Resistance

F Low Temperature
Resistance

G Tear Resistance

H Flex Resistance

J Abrasion Resistance

K Adhesion

M Flammability
Resistance

N Impact Resistance

P Staining Resistance

R Resilience