Thermoplastic rubber TPE/TPR status

Thermoplastic rubber TPE/TPR is also known as thermoplastic elastomers, artificial or synthetic rubber. It is a kind of polymer material that shows rubber elasticity at room temperature and malleable when heated. It is a rubber of high elasticity, high strength, high elasticity, and injection molding of the material. With a nontoxic security, wide range of hardness, good coloring, texture and soft, weather-resistance, fatigue resistance and temperature resistance, processing performance, not curing, it can be recycled to reduce costs. This product can not only secondary injection molding, but also be separately molded.

According to material, thermoplastic rubber can be divided into olefin TPE (also called TPO or TPV), polyurethane TPE (abbreviated TPU), styrene type elastomer TPE (TPR for short).

Thermoplastic rubber has similar properties of vulcanized rubber, but without curing. It can be like thermoplastic resins, processed by the common plastics, product recycling and processing without losing its basic performance. Development of such new materials bring significant innovations to the rubber industry. It breaks the traditional boundaries between rubber and plastics, in terms of energy, labor-saving and prevent environmental pollution has more economic and social benefits. In recent years, in addition to the modified, but also the emergence of new species.

Major development status of thermoplastic elastomers

1. Styrenic TPE Styrenic TPE also known as TPS, it is copolymer of butadiene or isoprene-diene-styrene block, its performance is closest to the SBR rubber.

2. Olefin TPE It is blends of hard chain PP and soft chain EPDM, which is called TPO. As its light weight than other TPE, heat-resistant up to 100℃，and ozone resistance weather resistance good, thus, it develops rapidly in TPE.

3. Diene TPE Diene TPE are mainly isomers of natural rubber, so it is also called thermoplastic trans-natural rubber (1-NR).

4. Vinyl chloride TPE It is divided into thermoplastic PVC and thermoplastic CPE. The former is called TPVC, the latter known as TCPE. TPVC is mainly flexible modification of PVC, it is also polymerization and mechanical blending two forms.

5. Polyurethane TPE TPU has excellent mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, oil resistance and resistance to flexing, especially abrasion is the most prominent. The disadvantages are poor heat resistance, water resistance, compression resistance, its appearance is easy to turn yellow, sticky mould in the process. OKCHEM blog updates knowledge and information about chemicals and precise datas of China chemicals, if you have interest, view more here!