Neoprene foam rubber, in both its open cell and closed cell forms, has been utilized in a wide variety of applications for decades. It was discovered that the matrix of interconnected to isolated air pockets had exceptional qualities that allowed it to excel in tasks that were inadvisable for solid sheet rubber. It was found that both open cell neoprene and closed cell neoprene sponge had superior absorption, insulation and compressive properties than even most of the other existing low durometer sheet rubbers could accomplish. The pockets of air that are impregnated within the neoprene foam material physically allow for more efficient energy absorption. Energy becomes trapped and rebounds within the porous material, effectively dispersing within the structure itself due to the eventual deceleration of kinetic energy within the gaseous cells. Similarly, neoprene sponge rubber is an excellent at insulation material due to its ability to trap energy. Each impregnated air pocket slows the passage of heat from one molecular space to the next. Finally, both open and closed cell neoprene foam has a permeable structure allows for them to be compressed easily, permitting it to withstand and rebound from concussive force without compromising the structural integrity of the material.

The pioneering work of inventing neoprene foam rubber was conducted primarily by a scientist named Otto Bayer. He discovered, purely by accident, that the introduction of water to a raw isocyanate-based substance would release vapor into the liquid that could then be trapped as the solution was transitioned into a solid form. This allowed the rubber to excel in the applications explained above and quickly exploded into production.

It should be noted that the idea of neoprene foam rubber was actually postulated as far back as 1930 through the research of Julius Arthur Nieuwland. His ideas essentially laid the groundwork for the rise of both open cell neoprene and closed cell neoprene sponge elastomers. The chemical giant DuPont brought the rights to the material and began developing it. The very first type of neoprene was not exactly the type of neoprene sponge rubber that we know today. It was rudimentary and had a terrible odor. The year 1937 saw the market release of the refined neoprene material that we still use today. It was actually a profitable material for DuPont. By 1939, the new neoprene elastomer brought in profits of over $300,000 for the company, no small number at the time.

One event in particular allowed neoprene foam rubber to rise to prominence: World War II. The beginning of World War II would drive demand for this elastomer higher as Japanese aggression slowly cut off American natural rubber supply. World War II actually paved the way for the open cell neoprene and closed cell neoprene sponge rubbers to make a name for themselves. Synthetic rubber demand skyrocketed out of necessity due to the US inability to import natural rubber from the east. Most of the natural rubber supply came from Asia, which Japan effectively controlled. Thus, driven by military wartime requirements, synthetic rubber would become primary to the American market and sequentially sponge rubber found its place in this emerging modern industrial world. People soon discovered that neoprene sponge rubber could perform in conditions and tasks that natural rubber simply could not. The discovery and utilization of neoprene foam rubber allowed America to bypass the natural rubber blockade imposed by the Japanese. The post-war eruption of the automobile industry and its demand rubber parts fostered the continuation of the demand for rubber parts.

Since that time, production of the neoprene foam rubber has become a massive industry, supplying a demand of several billion pounds a year. Its ability to function and shine in a variety of industrial and commercial applications makes it an indispensable part of the modern world. Neoprene sponge rubber is now used in applications involving aquatics, light chemicals, insulation, automotives, and even construction. It is important to always differentiate between which exact types of foam you need for your application. Although open cell neoprene and closed cell neoprene sponge are similar in some aspects, they each feature unique properties that are better suited toward specific uses. Neoprene foam rubber is continuing to make technological strides and branching out into new applicable fields, insuring its place in our future.