Introduction
TPE products are mainly used in tool handles, diving supplies, sports equipment, casters, massage insoles, luggage accessories, wires and cables, automobile accessories, stationery, elastic pipes, seals and other plastic products.
It also can be made into rubber products by injection molding, extrusion molding and blow molding etc processing.
Moreover, it can be bonded to PP/PS/PE, ABS/PC, PA6/PA66 and metal etc, which simplifies the processing and reduces the downstream processing cost.
Advantage
It has the characteristics of high strength, high resilience, wide range of application,
With good touch, adjustable physical properties, environmental protection requirements,
Non-toxic, odorless, no harm.
Excellent weather resistance, low temperature resistance (- 60 degrees),
Without vulcanization but has the characteristics of vulcanized rubber.
Suitable for injection molding or extrusion molding and other processes.
Shortens the production process of rubber industry by 1 / 4, saves 25% ~ 40% of energy consumption, and improves the efficiency by 10 ~ 20 times.
It can be called another revolution of material and technology in rubber industry.
Styrene TPE---(TPS
SEBS and SEPS does not contain unsaturated double bond, so it has good stability and aging resistance. They are not only general, but also blend materials for improving weather resistance, wear resistance and heat aging resistance of engineering plastics. Therefore, SEBS and SEPS are rapidly developed into compatibilizer of nylon (PA), polycarbonate (PC) and other engineering plastics “alloys”. In addition, many new varieties of TPS, such as high transparency TPS for epoxy resin and nontoxic TPS for health care, have been developed.
Olefin TPE---TPO&TPV
TPO is a blend of PP as hard chain segment and EPDM as soft chain segment. Because it is lighter than other TPE (only o.88), heat resistance is up to 100 ℃, weather resistance and ozone resistance are also very good, so it has become another fast developing TPE variety.
TPV– dynamic vulcanized TPO. It is mainly composed of adding cross link agent which can vulcanize PP and EPDM mixture in TPO when they are melted and blended. The particles of fully vulcanized EPDM cross linked rubber are fully dispersed in PP matrix by using the mechanical high shear force of mixer and screw machine. Through the “particle effect” of the cross linked rubber, the compression deformation resistance, heat aging resistance and oil resistance of TPO are improved obviously, even reaching the level of CR rubber, so it is also called thermoplastic vulcanizate.
Polyurethane TPE---TPU&TPEE
TPU Polyurethane TPE is a thermoplastic polyurethane rubber, which is composed of polyurethane hard chain segment reacting with isocyanate and polyester or polyether soft chain segment.
TPU has excellent mechanical strength, wear resistance, oil resistance and flex resistance, especially wear resistance. The disadvantages are heat resistance, hot water resistance, poor compression resistance, easy to turn yellow appearance, easy to stick mold in processing. At present, it is mainly used to manufacture ski boots, mountaineering boots and other sports goods in Europe and America, and a large number of them are used to produce various sports shoes and tourist shoes, with a lot of consumption.
TPEE (thermoplastic polyester elastomer) is a block co-polymer containing polyester hard segment and polyether soft segment. The soft segment of polyether and the uncrystallized polyester form amorphous phase, and the hard segment of polyether crystallizes to form crystalline micro region, which plays the role of physical cross linking point.
TPEE has the elasticity of rubber and the strength of engineering plastics; soft segment gives it elasticity, making it like rubber; hard segment gives it processability, making it like plastic; compared with rubber, it has better processability and longer service life; compared with engineering materials, it also has the characteristics of high strength, while flexibility and dynamic mechanical properties are better.
The difference between TPE and PVC
TPE material has soft touch, good weather resistance and no plasticizer. It is an environment-friendly and non-toxic material. The price is between 2000-7000USD / MT and it is widely used in daily life of people.
PVC is a kind of toxic chlorine resin. Plasticizers are added during processing. They are widely used in building materials, artificial leather, and the price is between 1000-2000USD / MT. PVC plastic products will slowly decompose hydrogen chloride gas at high temperature, such as about 50 ℃, which is harmful to people.
Compared with PVC, TPE is more resistant to high temperature and low temperature, and has better elasticity. In recent years, TPE has begun to replace PVC in many fields with energy conservation and environmental protection.