Rubber is one of the most useful and versatile materials you can use. Its elastic properties and ability to repel water make it perfect for so many different products. However, thanks to inventions like neoprene gasket material, synthetic rubber has greatly enhanced the market for rubber-like products. Let’s take a closer look at this amazing material.
What is Neoprene?
The Dupont Company first introduced this synthetic rubber in 1930 and at the time it was known as Duprene, (actually it is a polymer called polychloroprene. Chloroprene is the main ingredient as it is the bonding agent for the molecules in the material.
Even though polychloroprene is a synthetically produced rubber, it is organic. In fact, its main ingredients are hydrogen and carbon. Chloroprene chips are produced by a chemical reaction and then mixed and heated together with foaming and pigment agents. The mixture is baked and expands as it heats. This forms a solid material which can be cut into sheets. In some cases, nylon fabric is laminated to the material for added strength.
Polychloroprene can be cut into many different shapes. It is frequently used for boot soles and neoprene gasket material.
Benefits
Standard rubber is very flexible but it will crack over time. Polychloroprene contains many long chain molecules which make it highly flexible and resistant to cracking.
Rubber can be attacked by chemicals in oil and gasoline products. This includes many types of solvents and paint products also. Rubber is affected by heat and excessive exposure to water, but this does not happen with neoprene.
During WWII, polychloroprene was very popular for making neoprene gasket material, seals, tires and hoses. In fact, it all went to the war effort and was unavailable to the public until after the war. Even though there are high tech synthetic rubber products on the market today, neoprene is still popular.