Neoprene (also polychloroprene or pc-rubber) is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by

polymerization of chloroprene.[1] Neoprene exhibits good chemical stability and maintains flexibility over
a wide temperature range. Neoprene is sold either as solid rubber or in latex form and is used in a wide
variety of applications, such as laptop sleeves, orthopaedic braces (wrist, knee, etc.), electrical insulation,
liquid and sheet applied elastomeric membranes or flashings, and automotive fan belts

History

Neoprene was invented by DuPont scientists on April 17, 1930 after Dr Elmer K. Bolton of DuPont attended
a lecture by Fr Julius Arthur Nieuwland, a professor of chemistry at the University of Notre Dame.
Nieuwland's research was focused on acetylene chemistry and during the course of his work he produced
divinyl acetylene, a jelly that 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.
Arnold Collins at DuPont focused on monovinyl acetylene and allowed it to react with hydrogen chloride
gas, manufacturing chloroprene.[4]

DuPont first marketed the compound in 1931 under the trade name DuPrene,[5] but its commercial
possibilities were limited by the original manufacturing process, which left the product with a foul odor.[6]
A new process was developed, which eliminated the odor-causing byproducts and halved production
costs, and the company began selling the material to manufacturers of finished end-products.[6] To
prevent shoddy manufacturers from harming the product's reputation, the trademark DuPrene was
restricted to apply only to the material sold by DuPont.[6] Since the company itself did not manufacture
any DuPrene-containing end products, the trademark was dropped in 1937 and replaced with a generic
name, neoprene, in an attempt "to signify that the material is an ingredient, not a finished consumer
product".[7] DuPont then worked extensively to generate demand for its product, implementing a
marketing strategy that included publishing its own technical journal, which extensively publicized
neoprene's uses as well as advertising other companies' neoprene-based products.[6] By 1939, sales of
neoprene were generating profits over $300,000 for the company (equivalent to $5,277,990 in 2017)

General

Neoprene resists degradation more than natural or synthetic rubber. This relative inertness makes it well
suited for demanding applications such as gaskets, hoses, and corrosion-resistant coatings.[1] It can be
used as a base for adhesives, noise isolation in power transformer installations, and as padding in external
metal cases to protect the contents while allowing a snug fit. It resists burning better than exclusively
hydrocarbon based rubbers,[8] resulting in its appearance in weather stripping for fire doors and in
combat related attire such as gloves and face masks. Because of its tolerance of extreme conditions,
neoprene is used to line landfills. Neoprene's burn point is around 260 °C (500 °F).[9]

In its native state, neoprene is a very pliable rubber-like material with insulating properties similar to
rubber or other solid plastics.
Neoprene foam is used in many applications and is produced in either closed-cell or open-cell form. The
closed-cell form is waterproof, less compressible and more expensive. The open-cell form can be
breathable. It is manufactured by foaming the plastic with nitrogen gas, for the insulation properties of
the tiny enclosed and separated gas bubbles (nitrogen is used for chemical convenience, not because it is
superior to air as an insulator

Civil engineering

Neoprene is used as a load bearing base, usually between two prefabricated reinforced concrete elements
or steel plates as well to evenly guide force from one element to another.[10]

Aquatics

Neoprene is a popular material in making protective clothing for aquatic activities. Foamed neoprene is
commonly used to make fly fishing waders and wetsuits, as it provides excellent insulation against cold.
The foam is quite buoyant, and divers 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.[citation needed]
Since foam neoprene contains gas pockets, the material compresses under water pressure, getting thinner
at greater depths; a 7 mm neoprene wet suit offers much less exposure protection under 100 feet of
water than at the surface. A recent advance in neoprene for wet suits is the "super-flex" variety, which
mixes spandex into the neoprene for greater flexibility.[citation needed]

Neoprene waders are usually about 5 mm thick, and in the medium price range as compared to cheaper
materials such as nylon and more expensive waterproof fabrics made with breathable membranes.

Competitive swimming wetsuits are made of the most expanded foam; they have to be very flexible to
allow the swimmer unrestricted movement. The downside is that they are quite fragile.[citation needed]

Home accessories

Recently, neoprene has become a favorite material for lifestyle and other home accessories including
laptop sleeves, tablet holders, remote controls, mouse pads, and cycling chamois. In this market, it
sometimes competes with LRPu (low-resilience polyurethane), which is a sturdier (more impact-resistant)
but less-used material