{"id":1379,"date":"2025-05-21T13:37:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T05:37:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/?p=1379"},"modified":"2025-05-21T13:37:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T05:37:48","slug":"viton-vs-nitrile-o-rings-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/viton-vs-nitrile-o-rings-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"When should you choose Viton O Rings over Nitrile?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing the wrong O-ring material could lead to leaks, downtime, and costly repairs\u2014especially when oil and chemicals are involved.<\/p>\n<p>Viton O-rings outperform nitrile in fuel, heat, and chemical resistance. But nitrile shines in cold, flexible, and cost-sensitive environments. So, when should you upgrade to Viton?<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hengoseal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/EDPM-O-RING-.jpg\" alt=\"placeholder_image\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s dive into where each material works best and when paying more for Viton is actually worth it.<\/p>\n<h2>When not to use Viton seals?<\/h2>\n<p>Viton is great\u2014but not invincible. There are situations where using it can do more harm than good.<\/p>\n<p>Avoid Viton in these cases:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Very low temperatures (&lt; -20\u00b0C)<\/strong> \u2014 becomes brittle  <\/li>\n<li><strong>Steam-heavy environments<\/strong> \u2014 degraded by hot water and steam  <\/li>\n<li><strong>Budget-sensitive projects<\/strong> \u2014 high cost not always justified  <\/li>\n<li><strong>Certain chemicals<\/strong> \u2014 ketones, esters, and amines can attack Viton<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019re unsure which chemical group your fluid belongs to, refer to our <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/fkm-seals-o-rings-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\">FKM chemical compatibility guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For everyday sealing in hydraulic systems or pneumatic lines with moderate oil exposure, <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/product\/nitrile-o-ring\/\" target=\"_blank\">\u041d\u0456\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0456 \u0443\u0449\u0456\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044e\u0432\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0456 \u043a\u0456\u043b\u044c\u0446\u044f<\/a> may be more cost-effective and flexible.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hengoseal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/EDPM-O-RINGS.png\" alt=\"placeholder_image\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>What is the difference between Viton O Ring and Nitrile O Ring?<\/h2>\n<p>Here\u2019s a direct comparison to help you decide which O-ring is right for your system:<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>\u041e\u0441\u043e\u0431\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/th>\n<th>\u0412\u0456\u0442\u043e\u043d (FKM)<\/th>\n<th>\u041d\u0456\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043b (NBR)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\u0422\u0435\u043c\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0443\u0440\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043e\u043f\u0456\u0440<\/td>\n<td>Up to 250\u00b0C<\/td>\n<td>\u0414\u043e 120\u00b0C<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Oil\/Fuel Resistance<\/td>\n<td>\u0427\u0443\u0434\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/td>\n<td>\u0434\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0435<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cold Resistance<\/td>\n<td>Fair (-20\u00b0C)<\/td>\n<td>Excellent (-40\u00b0C)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u0425\u0456\u043c\u0456\u0447\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u0456\u0439\u043a\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/td>\n<td>Broad spectrum<\/td>\n<td>\u041e\u0431\u043c\u0435\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0439<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u0413\u043d\u0443\u0447\u043a\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/td>\n<td>\u041f\u043e\u043c\u0456\u0440\u043d\u0438\u0439<\/td>\n<td>\u0412\u0438\u0441\u043e\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\u0412\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0456\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/td>\n<td>\u0412\u0438\u0441\u043e\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/td>\n<td>\u041d\u0438\u0437\u044c\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Viton is the better choice for extreme heat, fuels, and aggressive chemicals. But for general-purpose applications in cold or mild environments, NBR may be the smarter choice.<\/p>\n<p>For an in-depth comparison of materials and real-use cases, check our article:<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/fkm-o-ring-vs-nbr-o-ring\/\" target=\"_blank\">FKM vs. NBR: Which is Best for Your Application?<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Is Viton OK for oil?<\/h2>\n<p>Absolutely. One of Viton\u2019s strongest features is its <strong>excellent resistance to petroleum-based fluids<\/strong>, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Diesel<\/li>\n<li>Hydraulic oil<\/li>\n<li>Transmission fluid<\/li>\n<li>Jet fuel<\/li>\n<li>Crude oil<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However, it's not compatible with:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ketones (e.g. acetone)<\/li>\n<li>Amines<\/li>\n<li>Low molecular esters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you're sealing in high-temperature oil circuits, you\u2019ll benefit from using <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/high-temperature-o-ring-kit-vitons\/\" target=\"_blank\">high-temp Viton O-ring kits<\/a> specifically designed for thermal resilience.<\/p>\n<p>You can also explore the complete breakdown in our full <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/viton-o-ring-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\">Viton O-Ring Guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/hengoseal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/hydraulic-o-ring-kits.jpg\" alt=\"placeholder_image\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>What are the limitations of Viton?<\/h2>\n<p>Despite its strengths, Viton has a few key limitations:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Not steam resistant<\/strong>: Long exposure can degrade performance  <\/li>\n<li><strong>Lower flexibility at cold temperatures<\/strong>  <\/li>\n<li><strong>\u0414\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/strong>: Up to 3\u20135x the cost of NBR  <\/li>\n<li><strong>Not suitable for polar solvents<\/strong> like acetone or MEK<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your application involves intermittent chemical exposure and tight cost controls, consider using a mixed assortment from our <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/product\/o-ring-assortment\/\" target=\"_blank\">O-ring kits<\/a> to cover both Viton and nitrile needs.<\/p>\n<h2>How long do Viton O-rings last?<\/h2>\n<p>With proper installation and usage, Viton O-rings can last <strong>5\u201310 years or more<\/strong> in:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Fuel systems  <\/li>\n<li>Turbochargers  <\/li>\n<li>\u041f\u0440\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0456 \u043d\u0430\u0441\u043e\u0441\u0438  <\/li>\n<li>\u0410\u0435\u0440\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0441\u043c\u0456\u0447\u043d\u0456 \u043a\u043e\u043c\u043f\u043e\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The key factors that affect Viton lifespan:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u0420\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0447\u0430 \u0442\u0435\u043c\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0443\u0440\u0430<\/li>\n<li>Fluid compatibility<\/li>\n<li>Mechanical stress or improper sizing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We helped one European client extend their Viton seal life by 38% simply by correcting installation torque and upgrading to <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/product\/fkm-o-ring\/\" target=\"_blank\">custom FKM formulations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>\u0412\u0438\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0432\u043e\u043a<\/h2>\n<p>Choose Viton when your application demands chemical resistance, high temperature endurance, and oil sealing. Choose NBR when flexibility, cold resistance, and price are more critical.<\/p>\n<h2>Related topic<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/viton-o-ring-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\">What is Viton O Ring and why does it matter?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/nitrile-rubber-o-rings-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\">Nitrile O-Rings: Are They the Best Oil-Resistant Seals?<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/buna-o-rings-vs-nitrile-o-rings\/\" target=\"_blank\">Buna vs Nitrile: What's the Difference?<\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Let's help you make the right material decision<\/h2>\n<p>Not sure if your system needs Viton or NBR? Our team helps distributors and engineers every day to match the right material to their performance and budget needs.<br \/>\n\ud83d\udce7 info@hengoseal.com<br \/>\n\ud83d\udcf2 WhatsApp: +86 17622979498<br \/>\nLet\u2019s make sealing simple, effective, and stress-free.<\/p>\n<style>\n.faq-question {\ncursor: pointer;\nfont-weight: bold;\npadding: 10px;\nbackground-color: #f1f1f1;\nborder: 1px solid #ddd;\nmargin-bottom: 5px;\ncolor: #0073aa;\n}\n.faq-answer {\ndisplay: none;\npadding: 10px;\nborder-left: 3px solid #0073aa;\nbackground-color: #f9f9f9;\nmargin-bottom: 10px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<p><script>\ndocument.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() {\nconst questions = document.querySelectorAll('.faq-question');\nquestions.forEach(question => {\nquestion.addEventListener('click', function() {\nconst answer = this.nextElementSibling;\nanswer.style.display = answer.style.display === 'block' ? 'none' : 'block';\n});\n});\n});\n<\/script><br \/>\n<!-- JSON-LD FAQ Schema --><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n\"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n\"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n\"mainEntity\": [\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"Can I mix Viton and NBR in one system?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"Yes, but only if each O-ring is installed in a compatible fluid environment. Avoid using them interchangeably on the same interface.\"\n}\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"Is Viton overkill for low-pressure systems?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"In most cases, yes. For basic sealing under 80&deg;C and no chemical load, NBR is more cost-effective.\"\n}\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"How do I know if my oil will degrade Viton?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"Check the MSDS sheet for the presence of ketones, esters, or amines. Or send it to us&mdash;we&rsquo;ll help analyze compatibility.\"\n}\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"What is a better low-cost alternative to Viton?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"NBR or even EPDM, depending on the environment. See our <a href=\\\\\\\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/epdm-vs-fkm-o-rings\/\\\\\\\" target=\\\\\\\"_blank\\\\\\\">EPDM vs FKM comparison.\"\n}\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"Is there a FDA-grade Viton?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"Yes, we provide food-safe Viton O-rings compliant with FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 for food & pharma industries.\"\n}\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"Are Viton O-rings UV resistant?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"Yes, Viton has excellent resistance to ozone, UV, and weathering, making it suitable for outdoor use.\"\n}\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"Can I buy small MOQ Viton kits?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"Yes. <a href=\\\\\\\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/buy-o-ring-kits-in-small-moq\/\\\\\\\" target=\\\\\\\"_blank\\\\\\\">We support small-batch Viton O-ring kits with flexible assortments.\"\n}\n},\n{\n\"@type\": \"Question\",\n\"name\": \"Does Viton shrink over time?\",\n\"acceptedAnswer\": {\n\"@type\": \"Answer\",\n\"text\": \"Not significantly, but overexposure to incompatible fluids may lead to volume shrinkage or brittleness.\"\n}\n}\n]\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n<h2>\u041b\u044e\u0434\u0438 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e\u0436 \u0437\u0430\u043f\u0438\u0442\u0443\u044e\u0442\u044c<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">1. Can I mix Viton and NBR in one system?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">Yes, but only if each O-ring is installed in a compatible fluid environment. Avoid using them interchangeably on the same interface.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">2. Is Viton overkill for low-pressure systems?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">In most cases, yes. For basic sealing under 80\u00b0C and no chemical load, NBR is more cost-effective.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">3. How do I know if my oil will degrade Viton?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">Check the MSDS sheet for the presence of ketones, esters, or amines. Or send it to us\u2014we\u2019ll help analyze compatibility.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">4. What is a better low-cost alternative to Viton?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">NBR or even EPDM, depending on the environment. See our <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/epdm-vs-fkm-o-rings\/\" target=\"_blank\">EPDM vs FKM comparison<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">5. Is there a FDA-grade Viton?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">Yes, we provide food-safe Viton O-rings compliant with FDA 21 CFR 177.2600 for food &amp; pharma industries.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">6. Are Viton O-rings UV resistant?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">Yes, Viton has excellent resistance to ozone, UV, and weathering, making it suitable for outdoor use.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">7. Can I buy small MOQ Viton kits?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">\u0442\u0430\u043a <a href=\"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/buy-o-ring-kits-in-small-moq\/\" target=\"_blank\">We support small-batch Viton O-ring kits<\/a> with flexible assortments.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-container\">\n<div class=\"faq-question\">8. Does Viton shrink over time?<\/div>\n<div class=\"faq-answer\">Not significantly, but overexposure to incompatible fluids may lead to volume shrinkage or brittleness.<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Choosing the wrong O-ring material could lead to leaks, downtime, and costly repairs\u2014especially when oil and chemicals are involved. Viton [&hellip;]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-selection-guide","category-o-ring-seals"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1374"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hengoseal.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}