Why do rubber bands lose their elasticity through time?

When the elastomers and plasticizers begin to oxidize over time, those materials stop performing their functions and providing the elasticity that we know and love in our rubber products. read more

Their predictable stretch and elastic embrace help to keep things secure, but nothing lasts forever, and you’ve surely noticed that over time, rubber bands start to lose that sexy stretch. Eventually, they’re just useless rings of worn-out rubber, or they snap under certain conditions. read more

Malcolm Holley, I worked for 47 years in the rubber / polymer industry in R and D Answered Mar 2, 2017 · Author has 108 answers and 45.5k answer views They “age”by attack from either oxygen or ozone in the air or light. read more