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If you want to learn more about this program, fill out this form and one of our team members will be in touch with you right away. Article Know your materials: TPE vs. An overview of TPE TPE, also known as thermoplastic rubber, combines the look and feel of standard rubber with the ease of use of a plastic.
For example, the mechanical specifications for the K thermoplastic elastomer from Kent Elastomer Products include: Shore A hardness : 29A Tensile at break : psi 7.
In the automotive industry, TPE is used in weatherproof seals, floor mats, interior and exterior parts, airbag covers, and bumpers. An overview of TPU Thermoplastic polyurethane TPU is the subset of strong, multi-purpose thermoplastic elastomers that are known for their durability, flexibility, and suitability for numerous high-performance applications.
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By using this website, you consent to the cookies we use and our Privacy Policy. TPU is the ideal polymer for applications in a wide variety of markets, including footwear , wire and cable, film and sheet , compounding , adhesives and specialty molded parts.
TPU has been providing benefits to designers, manufacturers and end users for over 60 years. TPU is a unique type of plastic bridging the gap between rubbers and plastics. The key to TPU's versatility is that its hardness can be highly customized. TPU can be as soft as rubber or as hard as rigid plastics. The look and feel of TPU is just as versatile. Additionally, TPU healthcare grades do not use rubber accelerators and plasticisers that can cause skin irritation or dermatitis.
While various different thermoplastic elastomers TPEs may be fit for purpose, TPU presents a robust and high-quality alternative. Significantly stronger than most other options, it allows the creation of thinner bags and tubes, meaning higher durability with less material.
It outshines its competitors in flexibility, tear resistance and abrasion resistance - and because it retains the same crystalline clarity as PVC, it allows medical personnel to accurately determine the condition of a fluid.
Unlike PVC, however, it does not require any toxic chemical treatment before use. In fact, TPU is highly responsive to temperature, meaning it can be rigid at the point of insertion and flexible once inside the body. From a chemical standpoint, TPUs are similar to human proteins.
Their molecular configuration gives them a number of advantages: for instance, they are ideally suited to applications requiring adhesive strengths.
It also gives them biomimetic properties the ability to perform the same functions as natural structures , which is an obvious asset within the human body. More precisely, they consist of a resin called a diisocyanate a heavy, complex molecule fused together with a polyol a long, flexible molecule.
Depending on the balance of the two, the resulting material may be rigid or stretchy as appropriate. Amorphous or rubbery regions, formed by the reaction of the high-molecular-weight resin with the isocyanate, impart elasticity, resilience and low-temperature performance. Its flexible polyol portion can be a polyester, polyether, copolymer or a polycarbonate ester, with the first two options by far the most prevalent.
Polyether confers stability in water, and is particularly suited to products that will be exposed to wet or humid conditions. Meanwhile, polyester, the most common variant, offers superior mechanical properties, cut and scratch resistance, heat stability and better inherent UV stability. This means it is ideal for applications such as the castor wheels on medical carts.
While the precise chemistry does vary according to the healthcare grade, all varieties of TPU are similarly straightforward from a manufacturing point of view. Given that TPUs are so well established - the material, after all, was first developed in the s - it may seem counterintuitive to suggest that the benefits are little known. This said, Vizzeswarapu maintains that education is the largest obstacle to success along the road ahead. Market forecasts indicate that the TPU medical market is growing and will continue to grow rapidly in the next five years.
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