Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes

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Researchers develop 4D printing method for fiber reinforced liquid crystal elastomers

The research team of China’s Xi’an Jiaotong University used the reversible thermochrome deformation ability of liquid crystal elastomers, combined with the excellent mechanical properties of continuous fiber materials, to propose a direct-writing 4D printing method based on continuous fiber-reinforced liquid crystal elastomers. The continuous fibers embedded in the liquid crystal elastomer composite material played a role in significantly enhancing the mechanical properties and realizing the effect of bending deformation.

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Market ReportsNewsrss5Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
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Global thermoplastic elastomer market forecast at $76 billion by 2035

A few of the well-known market leaders in the global thermoplastic elastomer market that are profiled by Research Nester are Arkema Group, Huntsman International LLC, Covestro AG, KRAIBURG TPE GmbH & Co. KG, Kent Elastomer Products, ALTANA AG, Tosoh America, Inc., The Lubrizol Corporation, Teknor Apex Company, Inc., JSR Corporation, and other key market players

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Newsrss1Thermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
RubberWorld 949 Views

Researchers at Nagoya University and Zeon Corporation receive two awards for styrenic TPE

Researchers at Nagoya University and Zeon Corporation received two awards in May 2023 for the development of tough noncovalently-functionalized styrenic thermoplastic elastomers. They chemically modified Zeon’s QuintacTM, a styrenic thermoplastic elastomer marketed by Zeon Corporation, to develop “tough functionalized styrenic thermoplastic elastomers”. Since the newly developed SIS with noncovalently-functionalized polyisoprene is a lightweight yet tough and highly impact resistant material, its development should contribute to the goal of reaching a net-zero carbon and sustainable society.

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ArticlesFeaturedThermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
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Are all thermoplastic polyolefins created equal?

Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) is one of the fastest growing commercial roofing systems on the market. Developed in Europe in the 1970s, TPO was introduced to the U.S. market in the late 1980s and has become the dominant installed roof system in the industry; now used on 53% of commercial roofs, according to the American Institute of Architects.

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ArticlesFeaturedThermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
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Novel value-added thermoplastic elastomers bonding to polyamides

Bonding thermoplastic elastomers to polar and non-polar substrates has been widely studied in the past few decades to create products that enhance ergonomic comfort and functionality. Overmolding a TPE compared to two-shot molding is a litmus test for bonding the material to the substrate. The TPE must wet the cold surface and must melt a few nanometers of the surface of the substrate that is being overmolded on to facilitate bonding.

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ArticlesFeaturedThermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
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Recyclate based composite TPO membrane for embedded waterproofing of concrete roofs

Preformed membranes are primarily made from EPDM, PVC, TPO, HDPE, atactic PP, SBS and modified bitumin, etc. The focus of this article is TPO membranes, which are extensively used for exposed roof waterproofing and heat insulation. First introduced in Europe in the early 1990s, TPO membranes were developed as an alternative to PVC to overcome issues around plasticizer migration and membrane integrity breakdown, resulting in wash away and chemical contamination, as well as mold growth affected by weathering over the years; and finally culminating in cracking and leakages. TPOs have since become very popular due to their durability, UV and heat resistance, energy efficiency, as well as cost-effectiveness.

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Silica filler
ArticlesFeaturedThermoplastic Elastomers & Urethanes
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Fumed silica benefits mechanical properties of TPU prepared by in situ polymerization

Fumed silica is widely used as a reinforcement additive in silicone elastomers with significant mechanical property benefits, namely increased tensile strength, elongation and tear strength, among others. However, the use of fumed silica in thermoplastics is limited because of the difficulty to effectively add them via melt compounding by an extruder. Fumed silicas are extremely light; they have a bulk density of about 50 to 100 g/l. Thus, feeding this low density powder into the extruder, as well as conveying and mixing it with a viscous polymer melt, presents a challenge in typical plastics compounding operations.

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