Polychloroprene abrasion resistance

Polychloroprene and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber compounds have satisfactory chemical resistance but, except for phosphoric acid, are not suitable for mineral acids at higher concentrations. However, they have good resistance to oils, acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber being the better, and so are often used in oil-contaminated aqueous environments. Generally, abrasion resistance is only fair. Normal maximum working temperature is about 100°C. Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber ebonites are sometimes used especially where solvent contamination occurs, but are normally very brittle and so should be used with care. 

Neoprene is the generic name for polychloroprene rubber. It has been produced commercially since 1931 and had rapid and wide acceptance because it is much superior to natural rubber for heat and oil resistance. Heat resistance is far better than NR, BR or SBR. but less than EPDM. When heated in the absence of air, neoprene withstands degradation better than other elastomers which are normally considered more heat resistant, and retains its properties fifteen times longer than in the presence of air. Compression set at higher temperature is better than natural rubber and 100°C is typically the test temperature rather than 70°C. Abrasion resistance is not as good as natural rubber but generally better than most heat resistant and oil resistant rubbers. This is also true for tear strength and flex resistance. 

The latexes upon which this industry developed were natural rubber and polychloroprene for solvent resistance. However, technology is advancing to permit penetration of carboxylated nitrile latex for optimized solvent resistance and tougher abrasion resistance. Among the competition to latexes in this field are poly(vinyl chloride) plastisols. As technology develops in producing small particle size latexes from polymers whose synthesis is loo water-sensitive for emulsion polymerization, the dipped goods industry will quickly convert to their utilization from the solvent-based cements of these polymers now employed Prime candidates include butyl rubber, EPDM, hypalon, and vlton. 

Woven fabrics used for printer blankets are coated with polychloroprene to provide resistance to solvent and inks. Polychloroprene composite laminates for industrial suits (eg firefighter s suits) are coated with polychloroprene to provide chemical resistance, weather/abrasion resistance, durability, and a degree of flame retardancy. 

Several kinds of sole materials are currently used in shoe manufacturing, rubber soles being the most common. A few soles derive from natural products, such as leather or cork. Leather soles are not difficult to bond because they are porous and easily wetted by adhesive solutions. A primer is required to produce good bond with solvent-base polychloroprene adhesives. The use of polyurethane adhesives is also feasible and needs the application of a low-viscosity polyurethane primer to which 2.5 wt% isocyanate must be added. On the other hand, cork soles are widely used for sandals and are joined with polychloroprene adhesives. In some cases, a thin EVA midsole is attached to the cork to improve its abrasion resistance by using two-component polychloroprene adhesive (Martin 1971). 

The wide use of polychloroprene in the wire and cable industry has been due to its good balance of properties, its resistance to weathering, ozone, abrasion, flame and oil. These properties make it very suitable for use in... 

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