subject: Inflatable Boats Materials: Neoprene and Hypalon [print this page] Natural rubber has its flaws as material for inflatable boats. To make a more sea worthy inflatable the military developed neoprene during WWII as a more viable replacement for natural rubber boats. Neoprene is a form on synthetic rubber produced by the polymerization of chloroprene. It has generally good chemical stability and retains its flexibility in a wide temperature range. Neoprene is as elastic as rubber but stronger and less photodegradable and can resist heat thereby inhibiting it from degrading.
Hypalon is produced when chlorine is added to the formulation of neoprene. Hypalon has the advantageous qualities of neoprene and more resistive to abrasion thereby rendering it tougher than neoprene. It is able to resist photo degradation. You can leave a Hyperion under the hot sun and it will still retain its original characteristic because is less thermoelastic. However, Hypalon does not hold air as well as neoprene.
Avon and Zodiac made the first generation inflatable dinghies using fabrics that were saturated with neoprene and Hypalon. Avon used Hypalon on both sides of the fabric while Zodiac only used Hypalon on the exterior and neoprene on the interior side. The logic was Hypalon will resist exterior abrasion while neoprene will make the dinghy airtight. Avon still uses Hypalon today. Zodiac switched to PVC.
Zodiac and Avon were the original models to have ruled the water ways in this country when Inflatables are spoken of and they were made with fabrics induced with Hypalon and Neoprene. Hypalon is used in both fabric sides for the Avons and the Zodiacs as well used it on the outside to keep away abrasion, while the insides of the Zodiac was protected by Neoprene.
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