NBR vs FKM Coated Steel – How to Choose the Right Material for Your Sealing and

Aug 28, 2026

Choosing the wrong rubber-coated steel for your sealing or braking components can cost you more than just material—it leads to premature failure of gaskets and brake shims, scrap parts, wasted tooling investment, and customer complaints. Often, this happens because buyers aren’t clear on the difference between NBR and FKM coated steel—two materials that look similar but perform very differently under heat and chemical exposure.

So how do you choose the right one for your application? This guide walks buyers and engineers through the key decision factors—temperature, media exposure, and cost—to help you match the material to your real-world working conditions.

We wrote this guide based on what we see every day. As one of the leading NBR and FKM coated steel manufacturers in China, we hear this question frequently from buyers sourcing these materials for gasket and brake shim applications. Every comparison and specification in this guide is based on our factory-tested data and real production experience—not generic estimates. Our materials are manufactured in compliance with international standards including ASTM, JIS, GB, AISI, DIN, BS, and SGS.

NBR vs FKM Coated Steel – Side‑by‑Side Comparison

news2对比

Cross‑section comparison of NBR coated steel and FKM coated steel

Both grades feature a three-layer composite construction with stainless steel substrate coated on two sides. Their core performance gap comes from the difference in rubber coating material, which governs temperature resistance and chemical compatibility with various media.

Comparison Item	NBR‑Coated Steel Coil	FKM‑Coated Steel Coil
Long‑term working temperature range	–40°C ~ 120°C. Hardens rapidly and loses resilience above 120°C. For clamped applications, temperature resistance can be extended.	–20°C ~ 200°C. Short‑term peak up to 250°C. Stable performance under high temperature
Tensile Strength	≥ 100 MPa	≥ 100 MPa
Oil & media resistance	Resists common mineral oil, antifreeze and cooling water. Swells and cracks when exposed to gasoline, synthetic oil, strong acid or ozone.	Resists gasoline, diesel, high‑temperature oil, refrigerant, weak acid and ozone. Hardly swells.
Anti‑aging service life	1–3 years at ambient temperature; performance degrades within ½–1 year under high‑temperature conditions.	5–10 times longer service life than NBR. Stable compression‑rebound under long‑term high‑temperature exposure.
Compression rebound & sealing performance	Good rebound at room temperature; large permanent compression deformation under high temperature—risk of oil/gas leakage.	Extremely low permanent compression deformation. Reliable sealing under high‑pressure & high‑temperature conditions.
Heat‑insulation & damping capacity	Basic heat‑insulation and damping, suitable for regular brake temperature conditions.	Low thermal conductivity, superior heat‑barrier effect for heavy‑duty brake and engine applications.
Processing performance	Good stamping performance, flat coil surface, cost‑effective for mass production.	Supports automatic continuous stamping. Strong coating adhesion—no delamination during hot stamping.
Cost level	Low cost—obvious advantage for bulk purchase.	3–8 times the cost of NBR‑coated steel—premium special‑purpose material.
Market positioning	Aftermarket, economy auto‑parts, general‑purpose industrial sealing at ambient temperature.	OE original‑equipment matching, heavy‑duty commercial vehicles, high‑performance vehicles, high‑temp industrial equipment.

Quick Selection Guide – By Application

Based on real‑world service conditions, you may quickly determine whether NBR or FKM coated steel is more suitable for your target component.

钢卷的应用

Typical end‑use components stamped from rubber‑coated steel: brake anti‑noise shims and engine gaskets.

Application	Recommended Material	Why
Standard passenger car brake shim or gasket	NBR‑Coated Steel	Temp stays within 120°C; cost‑effective for high‑volume production.
Aftermarket economy brake shim	NBR‑Coated Steel	Standard conditions, reliable performance at lower cost.
Heavy‑duty truck brake shim (OE)	FKM‑Coated Steel	Heavy braking generates high heat; FKM ensures NVH stability.
Turbo diesel engine gasket	FKM‑Coated Steel	Turbo heat and aggressive oils require 200°C resistance.
Industrial flange seal (ambient temp, mineral oil)	NBR‑Coated Steel	Non‑critical conditions; cost‑effective solution.
Compressor seal (refrigerant, high‑temp)	FKM‑Coated Steel	FKM resists refrigerants and high heat; NBR would swell.

The following specifications represent our standard production range for NBR and FKM coated steel coils. Custom thicknesses, widths, and coating structures are available upon request.

Available Specifications

Parameter	Available Range
Substrate Material	SPCC Cold Rolled Carbon Steel / Stainless Steel
Metal substrate thickness	0.2mm – 0.8mm
Rubber coating thickness (per side)	0.02mm – 0.12mm
Coating Structure	Single-side / Double-side optional
Coil width	Up to 800mm
Coating options	NBR / FKM
Rubber hardness (Shore A)	60–90 (customizable per application)
Standards compliance	ASTM, JIS, GB, AISI, DIN, BS, SGS

Custom thicknesses, widths, colors, and hardness levels are available upon request. View our full product range →Products - Jinan Sunrise New Material Technology Co.LTD|NBR coating steel|NBR coating steel

Sourcing Qualified NBR & FKM Coated Steel

Qualified NBR and FKM coated steel suppliers should provide full material test documentation, traceable batch records, and compliance certifications(ISO, RoHS, REACH, PFAS, Proposition 65). A4‑size samples for bench testing and OEM technical support are also indicators of reliable supply.

For gasket and brake shim manufacturers, working with a supplier that manufactures both NBR and FKM coated steel coils ensures unbiased material recommendations—because the supplier’s goal is to match the right material to your application, not to push a single product line.

Get Technical Support & Material Samples

As a manufacturer that meets all the above requirements, Jinan Sunrise New Material Technology Co., Ltd. provides test samples and professional technical consultation for your material selection.

Not sure whether NBR or FKM is right for your project? We‘re here to help—with no obligation to order.

Request a free A4‑size sample – Test material performance on your own production line
Request the full technical data sheet – Review all physical properties, test methods, and compliance documents before you buy

📩 Email: ryleezh@chinanewmaterialtech.com
📞 Tel: +86‑531‑80993487
📱 Mobile: +86‑152‑5416‑7359
🌐 Website: https://www.chinanewmaterialtech.com/

We supply both NBR and FKM coated steel coils with full technical documentation and responsive support—so you can choose with confidence, before you commit to volume orders.

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