Elastomers:           

An Elastomer is a polymeric material that can experience large and reversible elastic deformations. Elastomers, commonly referred to as rubbers, are hydrocarbon, polymeric materials similar in structure to plastic resins. The difference between plastics and elastomers is based on the property of extensibility or stretching.

The word Elastomer is derived from two terms elastic and mer. As per The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), elastomer is "a polymeric material which at room temperature can be stretched to alt least twice its original length and upon immediate release of the stress will return quickly to approximately its original length". Elastomers are usually thermosets (requiring vulcanization) but may also be thermoplastic. They are amorphous polymers existing above their glass transition temperature. Rubbers are relatively soft and deformable at ambient temperature

The major distinctive characteristic of elastomers is their great extensibility and high-energy storing capacity.