Within the world of manufacturing, neoprene polymers are a popular choice for making seals and gaskets. Varied in durability and flexibility from hard to flexible, neoprene polymers stand at the top of engineers’ lists for reliable manufacturing materials to complete any machine repair or project. This popularity primarily stems from the long list of defenses neoprene polymer has from physical to environmental endurance. When choosing your next gasket or seal component material, consider the various advantages and uses neoprene polymer has to offer for your project!
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What is Neoprene Polymer?
Invented by DuPont scientists in the 1930s, neoprene polymer—also known as polychloroprene—is a versatile synthetic rubber produced through the polymerization of chloroprene. This process creates polychloroprene chips, which are melted and mixed with various foaming agents and carbon pigments before being baked. The mixture expands and creates neoprene sheets. Due to this process, neoprene polymer provides stability against caustic substances while staying incredibly flexible.
In recent years, neoprene polymer has grown in popularity due to its resistance to the following:
- Sunlight
- Ozone
- Oxidation
- Petroleum
- Solvents
- Weather
- Combustion
- Water (liquid or steam)
- Oils
- Fats and greases
- Chemicals (acids or gases)
- Extreme cold and heat (withstanding temperatures from –30°F to +280°F)
With such high resistance to various chemicals and environmental factors, neoprene polymer works as an excellent industrial component to protect or seal equipment in any weather or work condition imaginable.
Advantages of Using Neoprene Polymer Material
Among its various environmental defenses, neoprene polymer is also quite malleable, giving manufacturers the ability to easily manipulate the material to any equipment, shape, or sizing necessary for their components. Of its many advantages, here are some key properties neoprene polymer offers:
- Stretching elasticity and tear/crack resistance up to 350-400%
- Tensile strength between 900-1,000 PSI
- Compression and pressure sensitive adhesive properties to stick to any machine part
- Excellent shape rebounding from twisting or flexing
- Abrasion and vibration defense
- Cushioning shock absorption
On top of its resistance to damage and ability to rebound to its manufactured form, neoprene polymer maintains its popularity for having long-term value with a shelf-life of 5-10 years. In that time, industries can use or reshape neoprene polymer to suit a variety of projects under various levels of strain, production speed, and intensity. Whatever neoprene polymer part you add to your machine, the part will withstand just as much wear and tear as the device itself—if not more.
Industries that Use Neoprene Polymer
Sold either in solid or latex rubber form, neoprene polymer boasts many commercial uses, particularly in industrial manufacturing for gaskets, electrical insulations, tubing, seals, gasoline hoses, tires, automotive fan belts, and much more.
- Defense
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- The mass-production of important defense equipment or protective vests requires neoprene polymer for automated industrial belts. Due to its popular defense properties, government programs also work with neoprene polymer for flexible defensive gear as well.
- Medical
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- Gaskets and tubing to seal liquids are vital to medical practices. Yet, the most important area for neoprene polymers is in massive scanning equipment, which enable medical experts to run tests that undergo heavy vibrations.
- Stainless Steel
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- Commonly found in most industrial manufacturing plants, neoprene polymers are used as gaskets, insulation, or seals in heavy machinery. Throughout production, neoprene polymer undergoes heavy wear in most production processes, and must remain strong to keep up project productivity.
- FDA-Approved Food Equipment
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- Flexible neoprene polymers often support the mass-production of foods, from conveyor belts to machine packaging components. These rubbers are not only strong, but highly safe unlike most rubbers which contain caustic chemicals dangerous to human contact or consumption.
- Aerospace
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- One of the more popular fields of industrial manufacturing, neoprene polymers help not only in sealing machine parts together, but the gaskets and tubing ensure the whole machine meets safety regulations for pilots.
Find Your Component Material with Breiner
Overall, neoprene polymer holds several significant advantages when used for manufacturing components in any type of environment, work condition, or industry imaginable. If that wasn’t beneficial enough, neoprene polymer rubber also comes at a reasonable price, guaranteeing long-term quality parts without wounding your budget on replacement parts!
Not convinced that neoprene polymer is the material for your machine? That’s perfectly fine, since we at Breiner Innovative offer a wide variety of materials to customize parts for clients of every industry. Whichever material or machine part you need, contact Breiner Innovative to manufacture the best parts for your project today.
