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What is TPE?
TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) is a kind of elastomeric raw material, which has the features of high resilience, high
strength, available in a wide hardness range. Suitable for a wide range of applications. Non-toxic and safe, and
excellent colorability.
It exhibits soft touch, weather resistance, fatigue resistance and temperature resistance. It's easy to process, no need
to vulcanize, can be recycled to reduce costs and carbon emission.
Specific products can be over-molded onto PP, PE, PC, PS, ABS, AS,PETG,PCTG,PMMA and other basis materials, but can
also be molded separately.
Classification
Basically, thermoplastic elastomers can be divided into two types:
1. Polymer types, prepared by reactor, such as TPA, TPU, and TPEE
2. Polymer blends, prepared in a compounding operation such as TPS and TPV.
a. Note that In China we call TPS-H TPE (based upon SEBS)
b. TPS-N (based upon SBS) we call TPR.
Processing
Like thermoplastics, TPE are processed by injection molding, extrusion and casting. Since TPE’s under certain
conditions adhere to harder substrates, they can also be overmoulded and co-extruded.
Advantages
TPE material generally show many advantages:
1. Adjustable hardness; from gel like hardness (Shore OO grades) to medium hardness (Shore A range) to
Hard – vulcanized rubber like grades (Shore D range)
2. The benefit of using thermoplastic elastomers is the ability to stretch to moderate elongations and return
to its near original shape creating a longer life and better physical range than other materials.
3. TPE material is easy to process and shape, can be manufactured into various shapes by injection molding,
extrusion, blow molding or casting. It can also be combined with other materials by overmolding or co-extrusion.
TPE’s can also be thermal welded.
4. TPE materials exhibit good cold resistance with brittle points below -50℃and continuous use temperatures
over 70℃.
5. TPE materials have, depending upon the polymer base, good chemical resistance to most daily chemicals at
room temperature and limited immersion times.
6. Some TPE materials have excellent wear resistance. These products are widely used in automotive parts,
industrial products, such as castors.
7. TPE materials are thermoplastic materials and can be 100% recycled, without significant property loss.
Reducing cost and waste generation.
8. TPE’s are easy to color using a pigments or universal color masterbatches.
9. The haptic of TPE’s can be adjusted from silky smooth for watch straps to vibration dampening grippy for
power-tool handles.
10. TPE materials usually do not contain toxic and harmful substances, comply with the relevant environmental
protection and safety standards.
Application Areas
1. Consumer Goods: TPE materials wide range of properties and allows for new designs of toys, stationery products,
household articles and beverage packaging.
2. Automotive Parts: Plastic materials have always played a major role in Automotive weight reduction. TPE material
now replace traditional rubber products and contribute to a softer user experience.
3. Industrial products: TPE materials durability allows for industrial product applications with a long lifespan. They
can also bring shock absorption, soft touch, electrical insulation, sealing and flame retardancy performance.
4. Medical products: TPE material is biocompatible and can be sterilized and are therefore widely used in medical
devices and drug packaging, such as medical hoses, seals, handles, tourniquets, dropper, bottle stoppers, etc.
5. In short, due to the TPE wide range of properties, these materials can be used in a wide range of applications in
many different fields.