TPE Material Introduction

Basic Introduction

TPE （Thermoplastic Elastomer） is a rubber-like material: flexible, tensile, anti-aging, anti-yellowing, and anti-hydrolysable. It also has plastic-like features; for example, it can be melt and reshaped by injection molding machine, extruder, and other traditional plastic machinery. In the process of manufacturing TPE, it is free of vulcanization, and does not emit toxic gases or polluting waste water.

    Environmental protection is a trend of time. More and more brand enterprises pay attention to the non-toxic and eco-friendly materials. Therefore, TPEs become the best eco-friendly materials to replace vulcanized rubber and PVC （polyvinyl chloride）. What's more, TPEs can combine with polypropylene （PP）, polyethylene （PE）, polystyrene （PS）, Nylon Polyamide and other general-purpose plastics to form copolymer plastics with integrated advantages.

  

Compared to plastics, TPE has better elasticity, lower hardness and better resilience. Compared to traditional rubbers, TPEs can be processed repeatedly still maintaining its basic properties, and it can make the fullest use of chemical materials. Furthermore, TPE scraps and the products made of TPE can be recycled; that is to say, no waste materials would cause environmental pollution. In the long run, the manufacture and the usage of TPEs create huge benefits corresponding to environmental protection.

TPE Material Features

Non-toxic, Eco-friendly |

Thermoplastic elastomers （TPEs） are a kind of copolymers. Substances produced after the chemical molecular structure degradation are safe and have short half-life. Thus, TPEs are recognized as non-toxic, eco-friendly and highl-value high-molecular materials.

 

Excellent Processability |

TPEs melted under high temperature can be processed in various ways including injection molding, extrusion molding, blow molding, or compression molding to form all kinds of finished products while traditional rubbers can't be processed by blow molding. TPEs go beyond the processability restrictions to be made into film, sheet, tube and other complicated parts.

 

Efficiency, Diversification |

TPE manufacturing process is fast and stable. TPEs have shorter production cycle; in other words, we can produce more TPE products with better quality to satisfy the clients' demand of large quantity and diversification.

 

Easy to Color |

TPEs can be colored by color masterbatch or pigment. In addition, TPEs can be either translucent or opaque; different grades of colored TPE present multiple hues such as natural color, colored translucency, or colored opacity. The surface, texture, and texture patterns of the products will also affect color vividness. Thus, we utilize professional spectrometer to determine the color requested by the clients.

 

A Wide Range of Hardness: from Soft to Hard |

There are multiple applications of TPEs ranging from softer baby teethers or therapy squeeze ball to harder casters, pedal pads or industrial gaskets.

 

Toughness and Durability |

TPEs are acid resistant, alkali resistant, ozone resistant, anti-aging, anti-yellowing and weather resistant. These features contribute to product durability, and therefore TPEs are widely used in the plastic industry and won the praise of the majority of customers.

 

Slip Resistance |

Traditional plastics are hard and slippery, and its surfaces are devoid of flexibility. On the contrary, TPE materials are flexible. What's more, the surfaces of TPE products are soft enough to closely adhere to people's skins and do not slip easily. When using the tableware, scissors, hand tools, pens and other stationery, people can exert their strength smoothly and effectively. 

 

Shock Absorption |

The vibration generated when people use the tools can be effectively absorbed by tender TPEs. U-Pellet injects a layer of tender TPEs on traditional PP hand tools. TPEs can  prevent the tools from slipping away and relieve the discomfort caused by vibration.

 

Abrasion Resistance |

The specialized TPEs materials for footwear are wear-resistant, durable, non-slip, and lightweight. These characteristics can meet the stringent safety requirements of shoe manufacturers.

 

Excellent Physical Characteristics |

TPE materials feature high tensile strength and great flexibility. The physical characteristics of high strength make TPE products of outstanding performance.

 

Light Specific Gravity |

TPE materials are durable and lightweight. The specific gravity of TPEs is  lower than the specific gravity of water; therefore, the TPE products are able to float on the water. This interesting property is also one of the marketing highlights to attract customers' attention.

 

Good Performance in Low Temperature |

TPEs can be stored at temperature of -30℃ without brittle fracture. Thus, TPE materials can be made into snow boots, gloves, skiing equipment, and so on.