What are thermoplastic elastomers (TPE)?
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) are materials that combine the elastic properties of rubber with the processability of thermoplastics. They are soft, flexible and can be welded, injection moulded and extruded at the same time - without Vulcanisation. TPEs can be heated and remoulded several times, which makes them particularly recyclable and economical.
Properties of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE)
TPEs consist of a combination of hard (thermoplastic) and soft (elastomeric) polymer phases. This gives them rubber-like flexibility combined with thermoplastic processability. Typical properties are
- Elasticity similar to rubber
- Reprocessability like thermoplastics
- Temperature resistance of approx. -40 °C until +120 °C
- Good chemical and UV resistance (depending on TPE type)
- Pleasant haptic behaviour („soft touch“)
There are various types of TPE, such as TPE-S (styrene block copolymers), TPE-O (olefin-based), TPE-V (vulcanised compounds), TPE-U (polyurethane-based) and others. Each type has different properties in terms of hardness, temperature and media resistance.
Application areas & material combinations of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE)
TPE is widely used, for example for handles, Seals, bumpers, hoses, Grommets, cable sheathing, rubber components in the Multi-component injection moulding or as Rubber-Plastic Composite Parts. They are also used in medical technology, automotive engineering and consumer goods (e.g. toothbrushes, tools, packaging).
Since no Vulcanisation TPE can be processed particularly efficiently and quickly, making it ideal for series production with high throughput.