Thermoplastic elastomers or TPES were developed with one purpose, that was to replace thermoset rubber materials. The manufacturers hope to provide the properties of rubber materials with the ease of processing and recyclability that thermoplastics have to offer. That being said, thermoset rubber materials do offer some advantages over thermoplastic elastomers.
ADVANTAGES OF TPE:
- Easier to process. TPEs can be processed on traditional injection molding machines.
- Faster cycle times in manufacturing.
- Recyclable. Scrap made during manufacturing can be easily put back in the process and TPE parts can be recycled at the end of life.
- Better appearance. TPE materials offer a wide variety of appearance options which is great for things like automotive interior applications.
ADVANTAGES OF RUBBER:
- Higher heat resistance. Rubber, being a thermosetting material can take a lot of heat.
- Better chemical resistance
- Better compression set. Compression set refers to how the material rebounds or bounces back after being compressed.
At MidWest Resins, we carry several different TPEs in stock. CONTACT US and we will help you pick the right material for your application. To learn more about this type of thermoplastic resin visit our TPE/TPR RESINS PRODUCT PAGE.
