8. Conclusion

The examples presented are not exhaustive, given the wide variety of applications and associated standards and requirements. However, the trends are always the same: higher performance demanded by users and lower manufacturing costs sought by manufacturers.

Among other things, we are witnessing a search for resistance to increasingly high temperatures for certain aircraft and automotive engine parts. We are also seeking to improve resistance to chemical products (resistance to lubricants in automotive seals, resistance to products used in the oil industry), fatigue and temperature resistance or radiation resistance in vibration filtration parts.

The rubber industry's main challenge is therefore to find the least expensive formulas and processing techniques possible, so as to obtain products that best meet the required functions. The cost...