Thermoplastic elastomers are a class of polymeric materials that have the elastic behaviour of rubber and the processability of thermoplastics. Rubber has been of strategic importance since the beginning of the automotive industry, and thermoplastic elastomers can function like rubber. In fact, below the melting temperature, TPE has an elastic behaviour like a thermoset rubber.
"TPEs are generally low modulus flexible materials that can be repeatedly stretched to at least twice their original length at room temperature, with the ability to return to their approximate original length when stress is released. They also have the ability to be reworked when heated above the melt transition temperature." (Xpolymers, "TPE Elastomers", n.d., https://www.xpolymers.it/tpe.html)
TPE is a rubber-like material obtained by mixing hard thermoplastics such as polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyamide (PA) - or Nylon - with soft, rubbery materials. There are numerous approaches for the preparation of TPE, of which we will see the main ones:
The advantages of using this material mainly relate to recyclability and optimisation of conventional processing, which can range from injection moulding to extrusion, from thermoforming to blow moulding.
The classification of thermoplastic elastomers adheres to ISO 1043 using the abbreviation TPE with the addition of a letter indicating the chemical nature of that particular thermoplastic elastomer.
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Covid19 almost reached us - coming 60 kilometres from our company - on 21 February 2020. And from then on our life was changed forever.2020 was, for us, a year on the frontline of the Covid19 emergency. During the Coronavirus pandemic, we changed from a “niche” company to being at the centre of a production system of essential goods for the protection of people's health: thanks to machines designed and engineered internally, and to the synergies with universities and market partners, we have always been able to have a competitive production, even with respect to China. All this without increasing the prices of our facemask, supplying hospitals, old people’s homes and law enforcement, supporting various associations with the donation of over 40 thousand masks.
