neoprene - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neoprene - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoprene[03-Aug-14 3:10:16 PM]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Neoprene or polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that areproduced by polymerization of chloroprene.[1] Neoprene exhibits goodchemical stability, and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range.It is used in a wide variety of applications, such as laptop sleeves,orthopedic braces (wrist, knee, etc.), electrical insulation, liquid and sheetapplied elastomeric membranes or flashings, and automotive fan belts.[2]

Contents1 Production2 History3 Applications

3.1 General3.2 Civil engineering3.3 Aquatics3.4 Home accessories3.5 Sports3.6 Music3.7 Hydroponic gardening3.8 Other

4 Precautions5 See also6 References7 External links

Neoprene is produced by free-radical polymerization of 2-chlorobutadiene. In commercial production, this polymer isprepared by free radical emulsion polymerization. Polymerization is initiated using potassium persulfate. Bifunctionalnucleophiles, metal oxides (e.g. zinc oxide), and thioureas are used to crosslink individual polymer strands.[3] Outsideof Russia and China,[why?] about 300,000 tons of neoprene are produced annually.[1]

Neoprene

A neck seal, wrist seal, manual vent,inflator, zip and fabric of a neoprene drysuit. Here the soft thin rubber-like sealmaterial at neck and wrists is made fromnon-foam neoprene for elasticity; the bluearea is a thin blue knit fabric laminatedonto spongy foamed neoprene forinsulation.

Chemical structure of therepeating unit of polychloroprene

Production [edit]

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Neoprene can be produced in either closed-cell or open-cell form. The closed-cell form is waterproof, lesscompressible and more expensive. The open-cell form can be breathable.[4]

Neoprene was invented by DuPont scientists on April 17, 1930 after Dr Elmer K. Bolton of DuPont attended a lectureby Fr Julius Arthur Nieuwland, a professor of chemistry at the University of Notre Dame. Nieuwland's research wasfocused on acetylene chemistry and during the course of his work he produced divinyl acetylene, a jelly that firms intoan elastic compound similar to rubber when passed over sulfur dichloride. After DuPont purchased the patent rightsfrom the university, Wallace Carothers of DuPont took over commercial development of Nieuwland's discovery incollaboration with Nieuwland himself. Arnold Collins at DuPont focused on monovinyl acetylene and reacted thesubstance with hydrogen chloride gas, manufacturing chloroprene.[5]

DuPont first marketed the compound in 1931 under the trade name DuPrene,[6] but its commercial possibilities werelimited by the original manufacturing process, which left the product with a foul odor.[7] A new process wasdeveloped, which eliminated the odor-causing byproducts and halved production costs, and the company began sellingthe material to manufacturers of finished end-products.[7] To prevent shoddy manufacturers from harming theproduct's reputation, the trademark DuPrene was restricted to apply only to the material sold by DuPont.[7] Since thecompany itself did not manufacture any DuPrene-containing end products, the trademark was dropped in 1937 andreplaced with a generic name, neoprene, in an attempt "to signify that the material is an ingredient, not a finishedconsumer product."[8] DuPont then worked extensively to generate demand for its product, implementing a marketingstrategy that included publishing its own technical journal, which extensively publicized neoprene's uses as well asadvertising other companies' neoprene-based products.[7] By 1939, sales of neoprene were generating profits over$300,000 for the company.[7]

Neoprene resists degradation more than natural or synthetic rubber. This relative inertness makes it well suited fordemanding applications such as gaskets, hoses, and corrosion-resistant coatings.[1] It can be used as a base foradhesives, noise isolation in power transformer installations, and as padding in external metal cases to protect thecontents while allowing a snug fit. It resists burning better than exclusively hydrocarbon based rubbers,[9] resulting inits appearance in weather stripping for fire doors and in combat related attire such as gloves and face masks. Becauseof its tolerance of extreme conditions, neoprene is used to line landfills. Neoprene's burn point is around 260C(500F).[10]

History [edit]

Applications [edit]

General [edit]

Civil engineering [edit]

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

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 suchas nylon and rubber. However, neoprene is less expensive than breathable fabrics. A foamed neoprene containing gascells is used as an insulation material, most notably in wetsuits. Foamed neoprene is also used in other insulation andshock-protection (packing) applications. In its native state, neoprene is a very pliable rubber-like material, with nobetter insulating properties than rubber or other solid plastics. For diving and exposure protection applications,neoprene is manufactured by foaming the plastic with nitrogen gas, for the insulation properties of the tiny enclosedand separated gas bubbles (nitrogen is used for chemical convenience, not because it is superior to air as an insulator).The foam cells thus created also make the material quite buoyant, and the diver must compensate for this by wearingweights. Thick wet suits made at the extreme end of their cold water protection are usually made of 7 mm thickneoprene. Since foam neoprene contains gas pockets, the material compresses under water pressure, getting thinner atgreater depths; a 7 mm neoprene wet suit offers much less exposure protection under 100 feet of water than at thesurface. A recent advance in neoprene for wet suits is the "super-flex" variety, which mixes spandex into the neoprenefor greater flexibility.

As a result, wetsuit neoprene sheets are manufactured in different grades dependent on the application. Diving suitneoprene is denser and less flexible; this ensures its durability and reduces compression at depth. Sailing wetsuits arenever exposed to large compressive forces and contain more gas, so are warmer for the same thickness. Competitiveswimming wetsuits are made of the most expanded foam; they have to be very flexible to allow the swimmerunrestricted movement. The downside is that they are quite fragile.

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

Also in recent years, Jug, an after-market inline skate liner manufacturer, have incorporated neoprene into theconstruction of some of their more popular product-lines, citing that neoprene adds reinforcement (ankle support) andguards against abrasions as few materials do. As a simple matter of durability and product lifespan, liners constructedwith neoprene additives are typically more expensive than those that are not.

In the equestrian world, it is used in cinches, saddle pads, bareback pads, and many other applications in all disciplines.

It is often used in Airsoft as a protective garment, as it is thin enough to feel the hit, but thick enough to reduce theimpact velocity, thus avoiding breakage of the skin by the pellet.

Training knives and swords are made of Neoprene for safe self-defense instructions, practice, sparring, and martial artsdemonstrations.

Aquatics [edit]

Home accessories [edit]

Sports [edit]



Used in powerlifting and Olympic lifting. Commonly used are rehband 7mm knee and elbow sleeves. Also they areacceptable support in most powerlifting or strongman federations.

Musical instrument maker Yamaha uses neoprene. Neoprene is also used for drumpractice pads.

Hydroponic and aerated gardening systems make use of small neoprene inserts tohold plants in place while propagating cuttings, or using net cups. Inserts arerelatively small, ranging in size from 1.5" to 5". Neoprene is a good choice forsupporting plants because of its flexibility and softness, allowing plants to be heldsecurely in place without the chance of causing damage to the stem. Neoprene rootcovers also help block out light from entering the rooting chamber of hydroponicsystems, allowing for better root growth and to help deter the growth of algae.

Neoprene is used for Halloween masks and masks used for face protection, forinsulating CPU sockets, to make waterproof automotive seat covers, in liquid andsheet-applied elastomeric roof membranes or flashings, and in a neoprene-spandexmixture for manufacture of wheelchair positioning harnesses. Because of itschemical resistance and overall durability, neoprene is sometimes used in the manufacture of dishwashing gloves,especially as an alternative to latex. In fashion, neoprene has been used by designers such as Gareth Pugh, Balenciaga,Lanvin and Vera Wang.

Some people are allergic to neoprene while others can get dermatitis from thioureas residues left from its production.The most common accelerator in the vulcanization of polychloroprene is ethylene thiourea (ETU), which has beenclassified as reprotoxic. The European rubber industry project called SafeRubber focuses an alternative to the use ofETU.[11]

Neoprene degrades in the presence of some fairly common chemicals, including hydrochloric acid, acetone, xylene,acetic acid, aqua regia, boric acid, liquid butane, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, kerosine, lacquer, lard, motor oil, nitricacid, palm oil, tallow, turpentine, urine, and most chlorine-based chemicals including household bleach.[12]

Isoprene

Music [edit]

A woman wearing neopreneleggings.

Hydroponic gardening [edit]

Other [edit]

Precautions [edit]

See also [edit]



V T E

Wikimedia Commons hasmedia related to Neoprene.

1. ^ a b c Werner Obrecht, Jean-Pierre Lambert, Michael Happ, Christiane Oppenheimer-Stix, John Dunn and Ralf Krger"Rubber, 4. Emulsion Rubbers" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 2012, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.doi:10.1002/14356007.o23_o01

2. ^ "Technical information Neoprene" (PDF). Du Pont Performance Elastomers. October 2003.3. ^ Furman E. Glenn. "Chloroprene Polymers". Encyclopedia Of Polymer Science and Technology.

doi:10.1002/0471440264.pst053 .4. ^ "Closed Cell v Open Cell" . Retrieved 2014-01-14.5. ^ John K. Smith. The Ten-Year Invention: Neoprene and Du Pont Research, 19301939 . Technology and Culture 26(1):34-

55 January 19856. ^ "Neoprene : 1930 - Overview" . DuPont Heritage. DuPont. Retrieved 29 March 2011.7. ^ a b c d e Hounshell, David A.; Smith, John Kenly (1988). Science and Corporate Strategy : Du Pont R&D, 1902-1980

(Repr. ed.). Cambridge [Cambridgeshire]: Cambridge University Press. pp. 253257. ISBN 0-521-32767-9.8. ^ "Neoprene : 1930 - In Depth" . DuPont Heritage. DuPont. Retrieved 29 March 2011.9. ^ "Neoprene - polychloroprene" . DuPont Elastomers. Retrieved 2008-04-09.

10. ^ http://msds.dupont.com/msds/pdfs/EN/PEN_09004a35803d9eb8.pdf11. ^ http://www.saferubber.eu12. ^ http://www.fluidproducts.com/PDFs/ChemicalResistance.pdf#page=8&zoom=auto,0,317

Historical Files on Neoprene are available at Hagley Museum and Library

E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont)

Corporate directorsLamberto Andreotti Richard H. Brown Robert A. Brown Bertrand P. Collomb Curtis J. Crawford Alexander M. Cutler There du Pont Marillyn Hewson Lois Juliber Ellen J. Kullman Lee M. Thomas

ProductsCorian FE-13 Hypalon Kalrez Kapton Kevlar Mylar Neoprene Nomex Nylon Sorona Teflon Tyvek Vespel Viton Zodiaq Zytel

Subsidiaries andjoint ventures

DuPont Pioneer Danisco Solae DuPont Danisco

Divisions andfacilities

DuPont Building (incl. the DuPont Theatre and Hotel du Pont) DuPont Central Research DuPont Experimental Station

Notable people

leuthre Irne du Pont Alfred I. du Pont Eugene du Pont Francis Gurney du Pont Francis Irne du Pont Henry du Pont Lammot du Pont Pierre S. du Pont Jeffery Stanford Agate Anthony Joseph Arduengo III Samuel Bodman Norman Borlaug Donaldson Brown Wallace Carothers Uma Chowdhry Thomas M. Connelly John T. Dillon Linda Fisher Richard Goodmanson Charles O. Holliday Steven Ittel Edward G. Jefferson Stephanie Kwolek James Lynah Rudolph Pariser George Parshall Charles J. Pedersen William Dale Phillips

References [edit]

External links [edit]



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History

Du Pont family Hagley Museum and Library Eleutherian Mills E. I. du Pont de Nemours Company Hercules Powder Company Atlas Chemical Industries B Reactor (Manhattan Project) Remington Arms Savannah River Site Kinetic Chemicals Conoco Inc. Consolidation Coal Company DuPont analysis DuPont v. Kolon Industries Du Pont Motors

SponsorshipTour DuPont DuPont Pioneer 250 Hendrick Motorsports The DuPont Show with June Allyson DuPont Show of the Month

Categories: Brand name materials Dielectrics DuPont products Elastomers U.S. Synthetic Rubber Program

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