Everything about Polychloroprene totally explained
Neoprene or
polychloroprene is a family of synthetic
rubbers that are produced by
polymerization of
chloroprene. It is used in a wide variety of environments, such as in
wetsuits, laptop sleeves,
electrical insulation, and
car fan
belts. Neoprene is the DuPont Performance Elastomers trade name.
History
Neoprene was invented by DuPont scientists after Dr.
Elmer K. Bolton of
DuPont laboratories attended a lecture by Fr.
Julius Arthur Nieuwland, a professor of
chemistry at the
University of Notre Dame. Fr. Nieuwland's research was focused on
acetylene chemistry and during the course of his work he produced divinyl acetylene, a jelly which firms into an elastic compound similar to rubber when passed over
sulfur dichloride. After DuPont purchased the
patent rights from the university,
Wallace Carothers of DuPont took over commercial development of Nieuwland's discovery in collaboration with Nieuwland himself. DuPont focused on monovinyl acetylene and reacted the substance with
hydrogen chloride gas, manufacturing
chloroprene.
Neoprene (originally called
duprene) was the first mass-produced synthetic rubber compound.
Applications
Its chemical inertness makes it well suited for industrial applications such as
gaskets,
hoses, and
corrosion-resistant
coatings. It can be used as a base for
adhesives, noise isolation in white power
transformer installations, and as padding in external metal cases to protect the contents while allowing a snug fit. Neoprene weather stripping is commonly used in
fire doors as its fire resistance is higher than exclusively hydrocarbon based rubbers, also owing to its appearance in combat related attire such as gloves and face masks. Neoprene is also used as a contrast in some jewelry designs. Its springy consistency makes it notoriously difficult to fold when in sheet form.
Neoprene is commonly used as a material for
fly fishing waders, as it provides excellent insulation against cold. Neoprene waders are usually about 5 mm thick, and in the medium price range as compared to cheaper materials such as
nylon and rubber. However, neoprene is less expensive than breathable fabrics.
For diving and exposure protection applications, the air spaces in the neoprene are filled with
nitrogen for its insulation value. This also makes the material quite buoyant, and the diver must compensate for this by wearing weights. Thick wet suits made at the extreme end of their cold water protection are usually made of 7 mm thick neoprene. It should be noted that since neoprene contains air spaces, the material compresses under water pressure, getting thinner at greater depths. So a 7 mm neoprene wet suit offers much less exposure protection under one hundred feet of water than at the surface. A recent advance in neoprene for wet suits is the "super-flex" variety which combines
spandex into the neoprene for a greater flexibility.
Recently, neoprene has become a favorite material for lifestyle and other home accessories including
laptop sleeves,
iPod holders,
remote controls, etc.
Also in recent years, Jug, an aftermarket inline skate liner manufacturer, has incorporated neoprene into the construction of some of their more popular product-lines, citing that neoprene adds reinforcement (ankle support) and guards against abrasions like few materials do. As a simple matter of durability and product lifespan, liners constructed with neoprene additives are typically more expensive than those which are not.
Musical instrument maker Yamaha has begun replacing corks not used for sealing (such as sealing the joints of a clarinet) with neoprene.
It is also commonly in its Neoprene
spandex mixture used in
wheelchair positioning harnesses.
Precautions
Although neoprene itself isn't a skin contact sensitizer, certain neoprene adhesives contain 4%
rosin (
CAS No. 8050-09-7, previously known as "colophony"), which is a skin contact sensitizer under the
European Union Dangerous Preparations Directive 1999/45/EC.
Some people are allergic to neoprene while others can get dermatitis from
thiourea, a compound used to
vulcanize rubber into neoprene which can be left over after the manufacturing process.
Lead-containing compounds, such as
litharge (lead(II) oxide), are used as compounding agents to prepare finished products made of neoprene, and these can have a toxic effect on human blood, kidneys, and reproductive systems.
[Further Information]
Get more info on 'Polychloroprene'.
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