Neoprene is a type of synthetic rubber with properties that make it useful for wetsuits, protective clothing, and other products. It is abrasion resistant, chemical resistant, waterproof, stretchy, and buoyant. Neoprene wetsuits trap water to reduce heat loss and come in various thicknesses. Neoprene is also used in personal and industrial applications, but some products may contain latex.
The term “neoprene rubber” is redundant because neoprene is a type of synthetic rubber. It was developed in the 1930s and has since been incorporated into many products common in everyday life, such as wetsuits and protective clothing. Neoprene has a variety of properties that make it quite useful, including being abrasion resistant, chemical resistant, waterproof, somewhat stretchy, and buoyant.
One of the more common uses of neoprene rubber is for wetsuits. It is also used to make protective gloves and similar items because it is resistant to many chemicals and oils. Neoprene’s abrasion resistance is why it’s commonly used to make protective covers, such as those designed to protect cell phones or laptop computers. It is also light in weight which is beneficial in most of its uses.
Mute in neoprene
In wetsuits, neoprene traps water between the suit and the wearer’s skin. Your body heat warms the water against your skin, reducing heat loss from your body. This allows the wearer to stay comfortably in cooler water for a longer time. Neoprene rubber can also be quite buoyant in water. Many types of sports enthusiasts use neoprene wetsuits, including divers, surfers and windsurfers.
Neoprene wetsuits come in a variety of thicknesses. Very thin wetsuits measuring about one sixteenth of an inch (about 16 mm) are used to prevent abrasions and burns in tropical waters. Thicker neoprene wetsuits, such as those 1.6 inches thick (about 0.25 mm), are more insulating and are used in cold water. Although the head-to-toe black wetsuits commonly seen on television are the images many people have of neoprene wetsuits, they are now available in many colors, lengths, and styles.
Other applications
Among the many other personal uses of neoprene are making products such as seat covers, ankle or knee pads, remote controls, and paintball armor. Neoprene does not contain latex, but many products advertised as neoprene, such as gloves, braces, and other items worn on the body, actually have a latex base covered in neoprene. These products sometimes affect people with latex allergies.
Industrial uses
There are also many industrial applications for neoprene rubber. Some types of neoprene rubber are used in conveyor belts, hoses and seals. It is also often used in protective coatings for wiring and cables.
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