gofer articles

Did you know that neoprene gloves came about thanks to a Catholic priest? Neoprene is the trade name for a brand of polychloroprene synthetic rubber made by DuPont. It is stable and yet flexible, chemically speaking, and can maintain these qualities over a wide range of temperatures. The material has quite a diverse variety of applications and is found in just about everything from orthopedic braces to protective gloves.

And the Catholic priest? That was Reverend Julius Aloysius Nieuwland, whose scientific studies on acetylene inspired the subsequent invention of neoprene.