As a foam and rubber manufacturers with such a long history, we’ve been privileged to see various new technologies and materials arrive on the scene. Perhaps one of the most exciting, aside from NASA’s memory foam, has been neoprene rubber.

Qualities of Neoprene

But what has made this modern fabric so exceptionally successful in everything from sports equipment and protective clothing to laptop cases and sealants?
Neoprene is durable, strong, flexible, resistant to natural elements like UV rays and highly customisable in chemical terms.

Developed in the 1930s, modern neoprene foam products can be tailored at both the chemical and design stages to produce bespoke materials and design applications, e.g. different weights, thickness, styles, colours and resistances.

Application in the Water

One of the most common ways to use neoprene is in aquatic settings. It’s water resistance and reliable durability makes it ideal for things like wetsuits, drysuits, gloves, waders, protective casing and footwear.
Wetsuits and associated products mark the most familiar of uses. A neoprene wetsuit is exceptionally good for temperature regulation in the water, especially when designed for a specific environment, e.g. 7mm suits for cold water dives and 1.5mm suits for warmer waters. Neoprene can be used for providing more comfort underwater on things like watch straps and linings where they come into contact with the skin.

Neoprene also makes an excellent material for seals and aquatic protection like camera cases and related accessories.

Sports and Medial Equipment

On dry land, neoprene is just as effective as a multi-application material. It is tough, retains it’s shape well, doesn’t degrade with wetness and can be worn/used for a long time. The likes of sports supports and medical aids are commonly made using neoprene to suit challenges like sweating and heavy use.

Engineering, Electricity and Neoprene

A less commonly-known use for neoprene is as an electrical insulator. It makes an excellent circuit board insulator and can be manufactured to custom specifications to suit any layout.

Resistance to heat and a broad range of chemicals means engineers can tick a lot of boxes with neoprene. It can be used for everything from flexible hoses in car engines to watertight seals on power tools.

Protective Products

Your laptop case is likely made of neoprene, as is your tablet or e-reader case, mobile phone case and plenty of other common items around the home and office. Neoprene fits snugly to provide scratch resistance, minimise the impact damage of dropping and generally provide a tough protective shield between your electrical items and the rest of the world.

The amazing dexterity of neoprene as a cheap, effective protective material have made it one of the most popular fabrics in the world for protection of electrical devices.

Something we’re very proud of is our product development department. Do you have a neoprene product idea that just needs a little help getting off the drawing board? We can help with everything from fabric make-up and initial design to packaging and distribution, so get in touch today.

Neoprene is an extremely hardwearing foam rubber that has a variety of applications.  It does not break down even in extreme heat, cold, wind or rain, and can resist burning and a variety of chemicals.  Because of these properties of neoprene, it can be used in a huge number of ways.

•    Wet Suits

Neoprene is the material that wet suits are most commonly made of.  They offer their wearer unbeatable protection from the elements, and keep them warm even in extremely cold waters.  Modern wetsuits are made of a combination of neoprene and Lycra for the ultimate flexibility when participating in water sports.

•    Life Jackets

Because of the extremely long life of neoprene, it’s the perfect material for life jackets to be made from.  The lifejacket will not breakdown even when it’s exposed to extremes of weather.  Neoprene is also flame retardant, making neoprene life jackets perfect to use in an emergency situation.

•    Household Goods

Recently, neoprene has been used in protective covers for the more fragile household items.  For example, a neoprene case for your laptop or mp3 player will ensure it stays protected even when being carried around all day.  More and more remote controls are being made from neoprene, protecting them from bangs and falls.

•    Industrial Applications

Because of its resistance to oil and many chemicals, neoprene has numerous industrial applications.  Gaskets, fan belts, weather proofing and electrical insulation can all be made from neoprene, and more and more uses for this foam rubber are being discovered every day.

Protective gloves are a necessity in the medical profession.  They protect both the staff and the patients from infectious diseases.  In the past, medical gloves could be very cumbersome, feeling very uncomfortable and restricting a physician’s ability to perform a procedure.  Many people also developed an allergy to the latex that the gloves were made from.  Foam manufacturers have developed gloves made from nitrile for sufferers of latex allergies.  They are also incredibly comfortable, making it incredibly simple to perform procedures when wearing them.

Nitrile is a foam rubber with an extremely high solvent resistance.  This means that nitrile gloves will be able to withstand the chemicals that are used in a medical setting.  They also have very little friction and are highly flexible.  They allow a wide range of intricate movements when preforming procedures, and can easily be slipped off and disposed of once the procedure is completed.  This means that bacteria and viruses are not passed on from patient to patient.

Nitrile gloves can also protect the health of medical staff.  Wearing them during a procedure and disposing of them afterwards will stop medical professionals from contracting illnesses from bugs that would have otherwise been on their hands.  They also protect their skin when working with dangerous chemicals, and can even offer some protection from burns from hot water.  Nitrile gloves are an excellent option for medical professionals to help them stay safe in their work, and keep the patients safe too.

The Facts
The acronym “PVC” refers to the scientific name of the compound “Polyvinyl Chloride”. It is produced through the polymerization of a chemical compound called “Vinyl Chloride”. It is made from 57% salt and 43% oil and gas.

The past
PVC was first commercially produced in the late 1920’s. However, it really came in to its own when World War II created a shortage of foam and rubber. PVC was found to be an incredibly useful alternative because it was resistant to two things which were a common theme during the war: fire and water. Because of this, it was used to make waterproof boots, raincoats and even aircraft fuel tanks. Its resistance to fire was because of the inclusion of chlorine. Whenever a flame was detected, chlorine atoms were released which immediately inhibited combustion. As the war ended, masses of polyvinyl chloride flexible products rapidly emerged.

The present
Because of its longevity, flexibility, practicality and cost-efficiency, PVC has gone from strength to strength and is now one of the most widely used plastics in the world. It is all around us and helps to make our lives safer and more comfortable.  It is an incredibly versatile material which is resistant to oil, chemicals, weathering, sunlight and fire. It can therefore be seen in a host of every day items such as bottles, packaging, clothing, toys, building materials, furniture, bedding, piping, fake leather, and much, much more.

To learn more about our other products, such as engineered foam, talk to us here at technicalfoamservices.co.uk

Synthetic rubber is used in a variety of applications. In many cases however rubber foams can prove more effective than standard rubber.

Rubber foams are produced by creating air pockets – or ‘cells’ – in a standard rubber, by introducing a ‘blowing agent’ into the rubber. The results are either rubber open cell foams – in which air or liquids are free to move in and around the cells (sponge rubber); or rubber closed cell foams in which air or gas is trapped in the cells and where damage to one section of the foam does not impact on its other areas.

Rubber foams possess all the benefits of standard rubber but ultimately provide more cushioning and greater flexibility.

Neoprene foam for example is, like neoprene itself, highly impermeable to degradation by sunlight, ozone, and general weathering. It is also highly chemical resistant. However, as a foam rubber, Neoprene affords a much greater degree of stretch, and, can also provide better resistance to abrasion. Diving suits made from closed cell neoprene foam, for example, stretch to fit more snugly around the body, and are much less likely to puncture or tear.

Similarly, PVC nitrile foam shares the benefits of standard nitrile rubber, including being resistant to oil, acids, high temperatures, and many chemicals. As foam, however, its increased cushioning protection gives maximum support when used in items such as exercise mats.

At Technical Foam Services, one of the UK’s leading foam rubber suppliers, we can demonstrate more ways in which rubber foams can often go one better than standard rubber.

Rubber is an ‘elastomer’ – in other words it is capable of flexing and stretching following the application of force. It will then immediately regain its original shape once that force has been removed.

It is important when choosing rubber to identify the degree to which the rubber is required to yield, as this will affect which type of rubber is chosen. In applications where increased flexibility may be needed, it may be wise to select sponge rubber or rubber foams over standard rubber, as the former are far more responsive than ordinary rubber. Types of rubber foam include Neoprene, EPDM and PVC Nitrile.

An example where sponge rubber is widely used is in the manufacture of table tennis bats. Most modern table tennis players prefer their bats to be covered with a layer of sponge rubber rather than the thin pimpled rubber layer found on more traditional bats. This is because the extra springiness of sponge rubber increases the speed of play and adds more spin to the balls as they are hit.

Another example of sponge rubber being used is in the form of adhesive strips around windows and doors for effective weatherproofing. Like standard rubber, sponge rubber provides an effective insulating, waterproof seal. The flexibility of sponge rubber, however, makes it so much easier to bend the strips and then secure in place with the adhesive backing, thus achieving a tight-fitting seal even around the most awkwardly-shaped areas.

At Technical Foam Services, we can identify the most appropriate and cost-effective flexible foams for all your needs, including rubber foams and sponge rubber.

Rubber foams have become a necessity to the householder in recent years, providing many people with an easy and cost-effective means of sealing off and weatherproofing vulnerable parts of their property.

The best foam rubber suppliers are now able to offer a range of rubber foams including neoprene, EPDM, nitrile and PVC. These various rubber foams are used extensively throughout industry in such applications as cable insulation, hoses and gaskets, and it is some of these foams that are now being used increasingly in a domestic context.

EPDM, for example, provides the basis for DIY kits that are used to seal off and protect flat roofs. Such roofs are of course notorious for collecting water and allowing that water to leak into the room below, (as opposed to it being diverted away, as would be the case with a more traditional sloping tiled roof).

Use of EPDM foam sheets or foam rolls for such roof sealing and weatherproofing has saved many householders the cost of calling out a professional to install a traditional felt roof. Such EPDM roof seals are also highly age, UV and temperature-resistant, and therefore far less likely to need replacing as soon as a traditional felt covering.

Rubber foams can also be used in other locations around the house that are vulnerable to the impact of the weather, such as windows and doors, particularly where casements and frames are old or broken.

At Technical Foam Services we can supply a full range of rubber foams and foam products in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Synthetic rubbers are often preferred in industry to natural latex rubber as they possess many additional attributes, several of which can be controlled during manufacture. Furthermore, many businesses find that synthetic rubbers in the form of rubber foams meet their needs even more closely.

Synthetic rubbers provide a good match for natural rubber in that, like the latter, they are elastomers; in other words they can be stretched but will then subsequently resume their previous shape and size more or less intact. Synthetic rubbers, however, are often a great improvement on natural rubber in that they are inherently stronger and more resilient, as well as being much more resistant to heat, oil and chemicals.

Rubber foams are widely use throughout industry for these very same reasons.

Neoprene, for example, is highly versatile and resilient rubber foam that is also both waterproof and an excellent source of insulation. Pieces of neoprene are also very easy to stitch or weld together. As such, neoprene can be used effectively in air conditioning ducts; car gaskets and seals; scuba diving suits; and for outdoor weatherproof furnishings.

EPDM rubber foams are similarly resilient and are also particularly favoured for their temperature and weather resistance, EPDM rubber foams also demonstrate an excellent capacity for electric cable insulation.

Nitrile PVC foam’s flame retardant and temperature resistance properties on the other hand make it an ideal material for fuel hoses.

At Technical Foam Services we can supply all major rubber foams in a variety of shapes and sizes, and all at extremely competitive prices.

Foam products take many forms, but all are made by trapping gaseous bubbles in a liquid matrix. When it is cured, the end result is an extremely complex system of polydisperse bubbles separated by draining films. Depending upon the chemicals and manufacturing process used, the product may be water repellent or highly absorbent, and will also vary in hardness.

Sponge rubber may be either closed or open-cell in structure. The open-cell type consists of interconnected cells which allow the absorption and circulation of liquids and gases. This absorbency means the product should not be used where resistance to penetration by fluids is a necessity, unless it is protected with a surface coating. The reason we say this is because it isn’t always immediately obvious how absorbent open-cell sponge foams are; rather than being porous, the outer surface is continuous. However, this gives them good physical durability.

Owing to the fact air can pass freely between the cells, open-cell sponge foams are not memory foams. Instead, they display a high degree of compressibility, followed by rapid recovery from compression. This means they can be “wrung out” quickly – ideal for use as cleaning sponges.

Sponge rubber is generally made from polyurethane, although natural latex is also used (natural foam rubber makes a very durable and absorbent mattress material.) As with all foam materials, it is manufactured with a foaming agent, creating an air-filled matrix.

One method of producing natural sponge rubber is via the Talalay process, a complex method of producing natural latex shaped foams which was first used in the 1940s. Some of the products we at Technical Foam Services sell are still made by this process.

What is it that makes Technical Foam Services head and shoulders above other foam suppliers? Well, unlike many other foam manufacturers, at Technical Foam Services we don’t just sell foam, but we make it too! And it is this engineered approach to foam that means that we are able to offer the consumer foam that meets their particular requirements.

For example, we are committed to offering memory foam rubber in a variety of incarnations, which means that whatever density of foam rubber that you require, whether closed cell or open cell foams – with Technical Foam Services you’re bound to find what you’re looking for.

For example,  we offer silicone foam rubber which is particularly resistant amongst rubber foams, with thermal stability, flame retardancy and UV resistance, which makes it ideal across a variety of technical applications, such as HVAC applications and thermal insulation applications.

We also offer highly cost effective rubber foam solutions, such as PVC Nitrile which is both water tight and air tight, making it perfect for certain applications were lesser materials just wouldn’t do. These applications include weather sealing and even body armour.

When it comes to rubber foams, this is just the tip of the iceberg, and whatever industrial application you can think of there is bound to be a foam that is perfectly suited for the job – or if not there is bound to be a foam that can be adapted by us to suit your particular requirement. So, why not give Technical Foam Services a call. We’re bound to have what your looking for!