Thermoplastic Elastomers The Revolution in Polymer Materials
Thermoplastic elastomers, also known as TPEs, are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers that can be processed like thermoplastics but behave like vulcanized elastomers.
Pritam Kothalkar
What are Thermoplastic Elastomers?
Thermoplastic elastomers, also known as TPEs, are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers that can be processed like thermoplastics but behave like vulcanized elastomers. They combine elastic properties of vulcanized rubber with versatile processing of thermoplastic materials.
Types of TPEs
There are four main types of Thermoplastic Elastomers differentiated based on their chemical composition:
Styrenic Block Copolymers (SBCs)
SBCs are the largest and most widely used category of TPEs. They are made by selectively combining hard polystyrene blocks with soft polybutadiene or polyisoprene blocks. Examples include SBS (styrene-butadiene-styrene) and SIS (styrene-isoprene-styrene). SBCs offer good elasticity, tensile strength, oil and aging resistance.
