Neoprene or Nitrile... and how to weld/fuse/join either of them

[dustin wassner]

thank you, Dave. Do you think a silicone pressure sensitive adjesive would be strong enough to last through many dish washer cycles?

You had mentioned kraton and sanoprene as options. Do these have elasticity of silicone? I feel like I am running out of options...

[Rich Lester]

Try googling "silicone casting". There are a lot of different diy silicone casting materials out there. If you need to make a "mold" get yourself some polymer clay from the local craft store and create a mold.
I don't think it would be very difficult to do.

[Dave Anderson NH]

The TPRs are elastic,but much depends on the durometer hardness, softer beg more elastic. They are nowhere as elastic as silicone. I would be reticent to depend on an adhesive for bonding pieces together except for possibly an RTV silicone. The pressure sensitive adhesives depend too much on the quality of mating surface preparation to be a reliable choice.

[Grant Wilkinson]

I'm sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your question, Dustin. On my wetsuits, if I try to pull the joint apart, the neoprene will tear before the glue will let go. I don't use a lot on each repair.

Your application is likely too much different to use my results. You want to use detergent and likely hot water. My suits are not exposed to hot water - ever - and only infrequently to mild detergent.

[Ronald Blue]

Dave is the only one I have saw mention RTV silicone. I know from all the mechanical repairs I make it's a very tough and still flexible material. Certainly worth trying. I think you have a few color choices. Black, red, and blue, and possibly silver.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Addenda to my previous post. If using an RTV silicone to bond 2 pieces of silicone together first wash degrease,and dry the silicone sheeting. Typical manufacturing (extruding or calendaring) of the sheeting uses mica dust or talc as a release agent and either will interfere with making a good bond. Soap and water or isopropanol both work fine.

[Matt Meiser]

There are liquid silicone products out there. Years ago I did a project for a company in that industry called Laur Silicone. They made a 1-part liquid and as I understood it could be molded pretty inexpensively since there wasn’t much equipment required.