Looking for a material for a project

[leroyjenkens]

I'm looking for a sheet shaped material, maybe 12" by 12" and 1/4 inch thick, that can be used as a seal to keep air out, so it needs to not allow air to pass through it and it has to be a soft material that can compress, but not compress or bend too much. I was thinking something like foam rubber, but more firm. Can air pass through foam rubber?
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks.

 

[lisab]

I think it depends on the foam. There are two kinds, closed cell and open cell. The open cell may be porous.

Could you use two materials glued together? Like a neoprene sheet glued to a stiff plastic?

 

[leroyjenkens]

I think it depends on the foam. There are two kinds, closed cell and open cell. The open cell may be porous.

Could you use two materials glued together? Like a neoprene sheet glued to a stiff plastic?

Thanks for the response, and that's a good question. But I don't think so. If I used plastic, I would have to glue it to the polypropylene sheet of plastic that I have and from the research I've done, it seems like it's impossible to glue anything to polypropylene. I may not have to glue the foam rubber to the polypropylene, since just a little pressure on it would make air not be able to escape between the polypropylene and the foam rubber. So I would have to have the rubber in direct contact with the polypropylene.

But do you suggest maybe a thick sheet of neoprene? Is that closed cell?

Thanks.

 

[lisab]

Thanks for the response, and that's a good question. But I don't think so. If I used plastic, I would have to glue it to the polypropylene sheet of plastic that I have and from the research I've done, it seems like it's impossible to glue anything to polypropylene. I may not have to glue the foam rubber to the polypropylene, since just a little pressure on it would make air not be able to escape between the polypropylene and the foam rubber. So I would have to have the rubber in direct contact with the polypropylene.

But do you suggest maybe a thick sheet of neoprene? Is that closed cell?

Thanks.

Yes, neoprene is closed cell - it's what scuba suits are made of. It's a pretty good thermal insulator,btw (not sure if that's important in your application). It's not very stiff, but it would seal well.

 

[leroyjenkens]

Do you know anything about how much it compresses? I don't want it to flatten out like normal foam. I'd get a piece that's at least 1/4 of an inch.

 

[Proton Soup]

lead? it's stiff and soft. :)

eh, maybe glue non-foam rubber sheets onto fiberglass?