Neoprene is the generic name of an artificial rubber developed by E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company in 1930-31.
In 1923, Father Julius A. Nieuwland, a professor of organic chemistry at Notre Dame University, had discovered that acetylene gas could be polymerized. Two years later, Father Nieuwland met Elmer K. Bolton of DuPont at a meeting of the American Chemical Society. Bolton saw the commercial possibilities of Nieuwland's discovery, and DuPont's research chemists then began a long series of experiments at the company's Jackson Laboratory. In doing so, they discovered that Father Nieuwland's process was not practical on a commercial scale. Further experiments led to the production of divinyl acetylene, from which Dr. Arnold M. Collins isolated chlorophene and 2-chloro-1, 3-butadiene in 1930. Following this breakthrough, DuPont began the manufacture of its first artificial rubber, trademarked "DuPrene," in September 1931. On December 11, 1936, it was renamed "neoprene," a term to be used generically.
From the description of Historical files on neoprene, 1931-2006. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 726183510
