TPE compounds and their usage for products

by Deepika Olive SEO Executive

We live in a world of plastic, our day to day life consists of plastics and its raw material. Plastics are deep rooted to our life. It’s a boon and a curse at the same time. We are so dependent on plastics that without its use suddenly our life seems primitive. Let’s have an overview on one such element of plastic i.e TPE.

What is Thermoplastic elastomer?

Thermoplastic elastomer is a type of thermoplastic polymer that has the properties and performance of rubber. They are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers that consist of both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. TPE compounds is appealing and useful for consumer goods. TPEs are soft and flexible materials that can be over and again extended to at any rate twice their unique length at room temperature and come back to the rough length of the first shape upon pressure discharge.

Usage of TPE for products

The TPE compounds have soft and delicate properties which has many application. Such application can be very customer friendly. It can be used as delicate touch grips as it can be effectively formed or expelled onto a hard thermoplastic material utilising a similar preparing gear. We can see soft plastics embedded in hard plastics that makes gripping over the material easy.

TPE is also used for food applications. It is used for soft baby spoons or toddler cup spouts. But before using it needs approval from the country where it will be used. Any Plastic raw material that comes into the contact with food needs approval so that it can be regarded as safe.

Another usage of TPE compounds is the ideal use for clinical and healthcare applications. TPEs for human services applications must satisfy the fitting administrative guidelines. TPEs can be disinfected utilizing autoclaves, gamma illumination, or ethylene oxide. TPEs can be intended to be biocompatible, have high immaculateness, and have low degrees of extractable and leachable substances. TPEs can be an option in contrast to latex, silicone, PVC, or elastic.

TPE compounds are most effective in making sealing rings as they can be co molded to make two component seals. It is much efficient than the traditional thermoset rubbers. The process to make TPE are efficient because they need very less energy and can be produced in a fastest way than the thermoset rubbers.
This compound is often found in cap and closure liners. It is designed for carbonated soft drinks, hot fill, milk and retort applications.

The application of TPE is very vast and may be in the near future we can explore more of its use.