With the beginning of the season approaching for multiple professional sports leagues, we at Apple Rubber thought it was appropriate to explore the role of rubber in the equipment used across the areas of hockey, basketball, and football. You don’t have to be a fan of any team to appreciate the importance of rubber on these courts, rinks, or fields.
How Rubber Assists in Hockey
The main item in the sport, the hockey puck, is made of vulcanized rubber. Just to remind you, vulcanization involves heating rubber with sulfur. Long polymer chains in rubber form cross-links to result in a three-dimensional network structure. With vulcanization, the puck endures the hockey’s physical intensity, such as when it’s slapped or hit with a stick or kicked by skates, and can retain its round, flat shape.
For safety outside the ice rink, rubber walkways are used to reduce the chance of player slippage while navigating these paths on skates. Rubber’s high resistance to wear, tear, and shock absorption helps it to withstand the potential abrasions from the sharp blades of skates. In addition to protecting skaters, rubber walkways also act as a barrier for the floor underneath to ensure no damage is done.
Rubber: In Basketball Players’ Hands and Shoes
The sport’s namesake is another showcase of rubber’s capabilities. Most basketballs have an inner bladder with butyl rubber–a copolymer (isobutylene and isoprene). Butyl rubber effectively dampens vibration, making it perfect for the dribbling required by the players to move in basketball. The air retention offered by butyl rubber also helps basketballs stay inflated during prolonged periods of play.
Basketball sneakers are another vital piece of equipment for the sport. Since players need to be fast and agile on the court, they need a shoe that can perform well. Many shoes use a rubber outsole (located at the front of the sneaker) for improved grip because of its excellent durability and traction. Since the outsole frequently comes into contact with the court, the rubber needs to perform at its best to ensure athletic performance while reducing the risk of injury.
Hard Hitting Rubber in Football
Helmets are one of the most recognizable pieces of football equipment. They use synthetic rubber on the inside, which helps protect against head injuries caused by frequent heavy contact during tackles. Recent technology has allowed sensors to be implemented in helmets, and using rubber seals to protect the electronics in these sensors allows them to present safety information regarding concussions and indicate the potential for head-based injuries from collisions.
Arm bands are another essential piece of football equipment. They provide support and protection for tendons and muscles. One popular type of arm band is made from synthetic rubber called neoprene. Its excellent toughness and ability to resist weathering show why neoprene is commonly used for making arm bands.
Even if you’re a casual athlete and not involved in a high-contact sport, rubber can still have a role in the clothes you wear. For example, fitness watches like an Apple Watch use o-rings to help keep its technology sealed from water. This can be important if you’re an active swimmer or participating in strenuous activity that causes you to sweat heavily. Without o-rings, water could leak into the watch and damage the interior components.
It’s not surprising to see rubber play a large role in sports equipment as varied as the leagues they’re used for. Next time you’re watching a game of hockey, basketball, or football, try to find where rubber could be instead of focusing on the next big play.
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