Effect of organic reagents on neoprene, nitrile and natural rubbers

This paper reports the results from the chemical attacks of organic reagents on 5 different rubber specimens [nitrile rubber, neoprene, natural rubber (type: NR 40), natural rubber (type: NR 60), and natural rubber (type: food grade)]. The rubber samples were left in the organic reagents for a period of 4 weeks and were examined on weekly basis and later on examined on daily basis (after they were removed from the reagents on the 4th week). The experiments were run at room temperature. The neoprene specimens in the acetaldehyde lost some colour and the reagent became reddish-brown. The mass of the rubber specimens increased for the duration of the experiment with the exception of the neoprene specimens.