User:Comteq

Neoprene is an advanced material that offers different uses than foam.

The Germans experimented with the development of synthetic rubber during World War I when they had difficulty obtaining natural rubber from Brazil and Asia. Synthetic rubber became even more important during World War II when the Japanese conquered Malaysia and gained control over the rubber industry, because this created a crisis for the United States' automotive industry. All of these events led to the discovery of Neoprene and ester foams during the first half of the twentieth century.

Neoprene is the trade name for DuPont Performance Elastomers. It was developed by DuPont in 1930 and at that time was called Duprene. It's uses are varied because it is chemically inert and resistant to oil, heat, light, and oxidation. Neoprene is sometimes considered a type of foam because of its properties; it can be formed into various shapes and it can return to its original shape after being squeezed or compressed. However, its properties do differ in many ways from what is thought of as foam