Neoprene black rubber is widely used in commercial, industrial, and manufacturing applications today. Since its invention in the early 1930s, neoprene material has undergone many changes and continued development to become the product used so frequently today. Manufacturing neoprene was no easy task, but now it is a mass produced and widely available elastomer. Neoprene, the common name for chloroprene rubber, has cycled through many phases, name changes, and marketing schemes to get to where it is now. In this article, we will talk specifically about neoprene black rubber. But to give you a better understanding of this product, it is necessary to dive into the history of neoprene rubber. While doing so, we will answer a couple of questions:
• What is neoprene black rubber?
• What is the history of neoprene black rubber?
Closed Cell Rubber – Blend
- Temperature Range: -40 F to +200 F
- Durometer rating of 20-25 Shore C
- Sheets available in size of 39in by 78in
- Ideal for use in shock absorption and gasket related applications
- A versatile blend of closed cell sponge available at affordable rates
Moderate Weather Resistance: This closed cell sponge rubber benefits from the presence of Neoprene material since each sponge sheet is composed of Neoprene and SBR. A characteristic of Neoprene rubber is its good resistance to outdoor weathering effects such as UV rays and ozone. As a result, it is often employed wherever a rubber part is needed for the outdoors. This blended cellular rubber possesses a moderate degree of outdoor weather resistance.
A Durable Sponge Rubber: As a direct benefit from the SBR rubber used to make it, this closed cell sponge rubber possesses a good degree of physical durability. SBR is known for its superior physical strength and resistance to physical abrasions. It is the reason why SBR is so popular for use in vehicle tires, which are expected to endure harsh physical conditions on a daily basis. Although cellular rubber tends to be a softer material overall, especially when compared to its regular solid rubber counterparts, it is still durable enough to handle some moderate level physical abrasions.
What Is Neoprene Black Rubber?
Neoprene black rubber is neoprene in its most commonly-sold, basic color. Without adulterants that affect color, neoprene is naturally black. A black neoprene rubber sheet is likely what you will find when you look to buy neoprene material. However, some neoprene companies do offer colored neoprene products, such as red neoprene fabric. Notably, colored neoprene comes in a fabric form, which is the type of neoprene used for products like wetsuits. The neoprene manufacturing process that turns solid neoprene rubber into neoprene fabric contains extra steps that allow for the addition of different colors. Thus, if you are looking for neoprene sheeting, chances are that neoprene black rubber is your main option.
What Is the History of Neoprene Black Rubber?
The origin story of neoprene black rubber stretches all the way back to the 1930s, to a chance meeting between the two people who started it all: Reverend Julius Arthur Nieuwland of the University of Notre Dame and Dr. Elmer K. Bolton, the Director of Research at DuPont, a French chemical company. These are the men who paved the way for the development of the neoprene elastomers and neoprene products that we know and love today. As a matter of business, Dr. Bolton attended a lecture conducted by Fr. Nieuwland at the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. At this lecture, Fr. Nieuwland was presenting his recent research focused on acetylene chemistry. Over the course of his work, he had developed what was called divinyl acetylene, which is a jelly that transforms into an elastic compound very similar to rubber when passed over sulfur dichloride. Dr. Bolton, witnessing this reaction in action, was fascinated. As a chemical expert himself, he saw great potential in this discovery. Upon his return to France, he convinced the DuPont Company to purchase the patent to Fr. Nieuwland’s research. In order to make neoprene elastomers a reality, a lot of work had to be done. Dr. Bolton wanted to be directly involved in the development of this new material. He enlisted the help of other senior scientists at DuPont. One of them, Wallace Carothers, was instrumental to the material’s rapid transformation into neoprene. Eventually, responsibility for the project was given over solely to Dr. Carothers. With this level of scientific prowess at the helm, DuPont successfully oversaw the development of the first type of neoprene black rubber. However, unlike Fr. Nieuwland’s focus on divinyl acetylene, DuPont shifted their research focus toward monovinyl acetylene, a variant of Fr. Nieuwland’s primary subject of inquiry. Through their research, DuPont found that, when monovinyl acetylene was exposed to hydrogen chloride gas, the two compounds reacted to form chloroprene. This was a key moment in the history of neoprene. After all, the chloroprene polymer, polychloroprene, is the chemical name for neoprene. Once DuPont figured out how to polymerize chloroprene, the rest was history.
Neoprene – Commercial Grade – 50A
General Purpose Rubber – Black – 60A
- Smooth black finish
- Stocked width of 36”
- A rubber sheet for a variety of applications
- Working temperature range of -10° F to 190° F
- Black rubber roll available in lengths of 25ft or 50ft depending on the thickness of the rubber
SBR Rubber: Our General Purpose Rubber sheets are made using styrene butadiene rubber (SBR). This synthetic elastomer is known for its durability. SBR’s physical qualities are present in this solid rubber sheet. With a durometer rating of 60, it can handle physical abrasions pretty well. This rubber sacrifices some elasticity and pliability, but it is meant more for physical applications that require a moderate degree of strength. In addition, its durability is enhanced by the fact that it is a vulcanized rubber sheets.
Meant for Not So Sensitive Applications: General Purpose Rubber is very adaptable. A sheet of this elastomer can be made into various seals and gaskets that can then be used for a large variety of different applications. This solid rubber material is well suited for use in residential, commercial, and industrial applications. The material of this black rubber roll functions very well as bumper and pad material too thanks to their good durability.
Now that DuPont discovered the basis for the neoprene elastomer, they were confronted with a few challenges. The original process of manufacturing neoprene limited its capability in many markets due to a foul odor that came from this specific neoprene black rubber material. In fact, it smelled so bad at first that the material was commercially unviable. Although this problem was not an easy fix, the DuPont team—after many rounds of experimentation—were able to formulate a new neoprene manufacturing process that yielded an odorless product. This version of neoprene is the standard-grade neoprene that we are so familiar with today. But this was not the only challenge that DuPont had to overcome. At first, the newly invented material was not known as neoprene rubber. Instead, it was initially marketed under the name “DuPrene.” DuPont stuck with the name “DuPrene” for a while because they wanted the material to clearly reference their brand. However, this name misled many consumers into believing that “DuPrene” was a final product, ready to be used by average consumers. But this was not DuPont’s intention at all. “DuPrene” was meant as a raw material, sold to manufacturers for further processing into consumer products. Thus, DuPont decided to change the name of their product—to “neoprene.” And that is how the name “neoprene” came about. This name—obviously—has stuck ever since. The dropping of the trademark name in 1937 brought about a change in the marketing strategy for neoprene elastomers.
DuPont worked rigorously to increase demand for neoprene products and even began publishing its own technical journal to extensively publicize the uses of black neoprene rubber sheets, which was the only color of neoprene available at the time—this makes sense: the neoprene structure, the neoprene chemical formula, and types of neoprene were still being refined, so different colors of neoprene were naturally a low-priority development. DuPont was so set on popularizing their new product that they even went as far as to advertise other companies’ products which used neoprene materials. This plan not only worked—it was a hit. By 1939, sales of commercial neoprene were generating profits of over three-hundred-thousand dollars for the DuPont Company, the monetary equivalent to over 6 million dollars today—within only a decade of the material’s initial conception. And remember, these values do not even take into account the revenue generated by other rubber companies who sold neoprene!
Neoprene – Commercial Grade – 80A
Neoprene – Commercial Grade – 50A
- Black neoprene with smooth finish
- Can handle outdoor weather conditions
- Great as industrial seals, gaskets, and bumpers
- Can operate in temperatures between -20° F and 212° F
- Can be used in applications that may involve the presence of oils and chemicals
A More Flexible Rubber: This black neoprene sheet has a durometer rating of 50, which is a medium grade level. This medium durometer level attributes a moderate amount of flexibility and durability. It is a moderately pliable and elastic rubber when compared to neoprene material of a higher durometer rating. This increased elasticity makes it more open to physical indentation. This flexible neoprene can easily be applied to any industrial applications that need pliable rubber components.
Neoprene Resistance Quality: Neoprene rubber is known to exhibit moderate levels of resistance against oils, chemicals, and environmental factors. These resistance qualities were what made neoprene material famous in the first place. Its durability in the presence of oils and chemicals means that it is good for industrial applications in the forms of seals and gaskets. As an added benefit, our neoprene sheet rubber can also be used in the outdoors because it features resistance capabilities against weathering factors such as ozone.
Neoprene – Commercial Grade – 45A
Review: What Is Black Neoprene Rubber?
To summarize, we ask: what is black neoprene rubber? Black neoprene is the standard color of neoprene that a neoprene sheet manufacturer offers. In other colors, neoprene is usually offered in a fabric form. But if you are not concerned with color, neoprene sheets simply come in black. Neoprene black rubber is today still known to be a good general-purpose rubber for a countless number of applications. It owes this title to the chloroprene atom that gives neoprene products their resistances to hydrogen oils and gases, natural gas, salinized fluids, silicone oils and greases, and other substances that typically damage most materials. Additionally, today there are several companies engaged in manufacturing neoprene for commercial and industrial uses. All of this would not have been possible if it had not been for the continued investigation and development done by Wallace Carothers, Elmer Bolton, and the DuPont Company as a whole. Neoprene black rubber is ideal for many industrial applications such as insulation, gaskets, and adhesives. Neoprene manufacturers offer selections of neoprene products to suit many different uses and functions, depending on their consumers’ needs. For example, neoprene black rubber is very popular in gasketing and sealing applications since these applications need a strong elastomer that can withstand constant exposure to oils and greases. But, these are not the only properties of neoprene rubber that consumers look for. Neoprene elastomers also come with a balanced combination of other properties:
- Resistance to degradation from sun, ozone, and weathering, which makes it ideal for outdoor purposes, as well as indoor applications.
- Remains useful over a wide temperature range (-20 degrees Fahrenheit to 212 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Displays outstanding physical toughness and resistance to abrasion
- Outstanding resistance to damage caused by flexing and twisting, offering moderate pliability and elasticity (although sheeting neoprene can be more flexible in certain durometers)
- Resists flames better than rubbers made exclusively from hydrocarbons
All of the qualities that neoprene black rubber is known for now are a result of the hard-work and ingenuity of the scientists of the DuPont company and the continued dedication exhibited by neoprene developers thereafter. But it is important not to forget our roots. Much credit is owed to Reverend Julius Nieuwland for leading the initial forray into the types of chemicals that eventually became key to forming neoprene elastomers. Through the years, the neoprene material has proved to be resilient in the face of physical forces, caustic chemicals, and economic fluctuations. It is immensely valued, and consumers everywhere use it in many applications throughout the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors alike. Thus, the next time you are dreaming up a project, consider neoprene as a worthwhile investment. Materials that exhibit its longevity and functionality are rare, and the history of neoprene shows just how capable the material is of facing a variety of tasks.