Polychloroprene environmental resistance

While progress was erratic until about the 1930 s, synthetic elastomers were not only born, but expanding technically. It is perhaps notable that the first few products of the synthetic elastomer industry s resurgence then brought forth elastomers which offered environmental resistances vastly superior to natural products. Most notable of these were Thiokol (polysulfides) in 1929, neoprene (polychloroprene) in 1931, Buna N (copolymers of butadiene and acrylonitrile) in 1937, and butyl (copolymer of isobutylene and isoprene) in 1940. Many more were to follow. 

During World War II, several new synthetic elastomers were produced and new types of adhesives (mainly styrene-butadiene and acrylonitrile copolymers) were manufactured to produce adequate performance in joints produced with new difficult-to-bond substrates. Furthermore, formulations to work under extreme environmental conditions (high temperature, resistance to chemicals, improved resistance to ageing) were obtained using polychloroprene (Neoprene) adhesives. Most of those adhesives need vulcanization to perform properly. 

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