Chloroprene

Chloroprene, or 2-chloro-1,3-butadiene, is a chlorinated diene used chiefly as the monomer for making polychloroprene rubber.

Polychloroprene: A synthetic elastomer made by polymerizing chloroprene and commonly known as neoprene. Chloroprene molecules join to form this rubber’s polymer chains.
Neoprene: A trade name widely used for polychloroprene rubber and products made from it. Chloroprene is the monomer from which neoprene is produced.
Julius Arthur Nieuwland: A Belgian-American chemist and priest whose research included acetylene chemistry and synthetic rubber. His laboratory work produced an early form of polychloroprene from chloroprene.
Carcinogen: An agent capable of causing cancer in humans or other animals. Chloroprene exposure has been associated with cancer risk and is classified as carcinogenic by some authorities.
Free-radical polymerization: A chain-growth polymerization process in which reactive radicals add monomers to growing chains. Radical chain reactions convert chloroprene into polychloroprene.
Synthetic rubber: An elastomer made through chemical synthesis rather than harvested as natural rubber. Chloroprene is one of the monomers used to make synthetic rubber.
Wallace Carothers: An American chemist whose polymer research at DuPont helped establish modern synthetic materials. He led the DuPont research team that developed commercial polychloroprene.
Occupational exposure: Contact with chemical, physical, or biological hazards that occurs during work. Workers may encounter chloroprene during its manufacture or processing.
Emulsion polymerization: A polymerization method in which monomers react in droplets or particles dispersed in water. Industrial chloroprene polymerization commonly uses an aqueous emulsion.
Wetsuit: A close-fitting garment made from insulating material that slows heat loss in water. Many wetsuits use foamed polychloroprene derived from chloroprene.

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