Sponge rubber

What is sponge rubber?

Sponge rubber consists of open-cell natural rubber (NR), which has been heavily degraded during its manufacture. A distinction is made between sponge rubber, cellular rubber with a closed pore structure and sponge rubber, which is a mixture of open and closed pores. The size and structure of the cells is largely dependent on the mixture and production. Accordingly, sponge rubber can be produced with different cell structures, elasticity, density and hardness.

Nowadays, they are produced by vulcanizing presses at increasing heating pressure using 4,4′-oxybis(benzenesulfohydrazide) as a blowing agent.

Sponge rubber in its typical orange color is often used to make bath sponges, mats and cushions.