O-ring material
Neoprene O-Rings
Neoprene (chloroprene, CR) O-rings serve refrigerants, weather exposure and moderate oil in one compound, which is why they sit in refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment and in outdoor seals that see a little grease. The Parker® O-Ring Handbook rates the family from -40 C to 121 C. Conquest supplies neoprene O-rings in AS568 and metric sizes as a distributor, quoted to order in the compound the print names.
- Family
- Neoprene (CR)
- Standard range
- -40 C to 121 C (Parker O-Ring Handbook ORD 5700)
- Durometers
- 70 Shore A quoted as standard; other hardnesses by compound
- Standards
- ASTM D1418 CR; ASTM D2000 BC and BE line callouts on specific compounds
- Product
- O-rings in AS568 and ISO 3601 sizes, quoted in the compound the print names
Ranges are the handbook family figures; the compound datasheet and your application govern the final choice.
Larger and non-standard sizes: an O-ring beyond the molded size lists can be supplied as a spliced and vulcanized O-ring, which the maker joins from cord of the same compound. That page lists, family by family, which makers offer the compound as cord, and what to send for a quote.
What neoprene is, and where it is chosen
Chloroprene is one of the oldest commercial synthetic rubbers, and it still earns its place on one combination: it resists ammonia and the fluorinated refrigerants, it stands up to ozone and weather, and it tolerates paraffinic oil and grease better than EPDM does. That puts it in refrigeration and air-conditioning seals, in outdoor static seals where some oil may be present, and in general water and dilute-chemical service. The Parker handbook puts the family at -40 C to 121 C, and the compound sheet governs.
Where neoprene O-rings work, and where they fail
| Medium or condition | Verdict | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerants: ammonia, fluorinated refrigerants | Good | The traditional refrigeration seal; the one job FFKM does not do |
| Weather, ozone, sunlight | Good | The traditional outdoor compound |
| Paraffinic and moderate petroleum oil | Fair | Better than EPDM, worse than nitrile |
| Water, dilute acids and alkalis | Good | General industrial service |
| Aromatics, chlorinated solvents, ketones | Not recommended | Viton® for solvents; EPDM for ketones |
| Heat above the family figure | Out of range | EPDM, Viton or silicone above it |
Where neoprene fits, and where it does not
Choose it for refrigeration and air-conditioning seals, outdoor static seals where some oil or grease may be present, and general weather-exposed service. Where no oil is present, EPDM takes more heat at lower cost; where oil is the main duty, nitrile resists it better; where solvents or heat exceed neoprene, Viton. Neoprene is not a stocked O-ring family, so each order is quoted from the manufacturer.
How to specify
Send the AS568 dash number or the inside diameter and cross-section, the durometer, the medium and the temperature, and any ASTM D2000 line callout the print carries. The quote names the compound your print or your engineering specifies and sends its datasheet.
Sizes and forms we supply
AS568 and ISO 3601 metric sizes, quoted to order in the durometers listed above; O-ring cord for rings spliced and vulcanized by the maker in odd diameters (static service only), where the compound is made as cord. The AS568 chart and the metric chart carry the dimensions, and the dash number guide explains the numbering.
Sources: Parker O-Ring Handbook ORD 5700, section 2.2.6 (read 2026-09-14); Apple Rubber, O-ring material selection guide (chloroprene entry, qualitative), read 2026-09-14; ASTM D1418; ASTM D2000 (documents named, not reproduced).
Parker is a trademark of Parker Hannifin Corporation. Viton is a trademark of The Chemours Company; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.
Reviewed by Grant Midstokke, Conquest Seal Corporation. Last updated September 2026. Material ranges are the published references named beside them; the compound datasheet and your application govern the final choice.
Frequently asked
What are neoprene O-rings used for?
Refrigeration and air-conditioning seals, outdoor static seals that see a little oil or grease, and general water and dilute-chemical service.
What temperature range does neoprene have?
The Parker O-Ring Handbook rates the family from -40 C to 121 C; the compound datasheet governs.
Neoprene or nitrile?
Nitrile resists oil better; neoprene resists weather and refrigerants better and tolerates a little oil. Name the medium and the temperature; the quote names the compound your print or your engineering specifies.
Neoprene or EPDM?
EPDM takes more heat and steam and costs less, but fails in any petroleum oil; neoprene tolerates moderate oil. Outdoors with no oil, EPDM; outdoors with grease about, neoprene.
Does Conquest stock neoprene O-rings?
Neoprene is not a stocked family here; each order is quoted from the manufacturer in the size and durometer named.
Related guides
Send the part number and the quantity for Neoprene
The AS568 dash number or the inside diameter and cross-section, the durometer, the quantity, the medium and temperature, and any specification the print names. A Conquest representative replies.
Request a quote