Thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU, is a type of polymer made by a polyaddition process using one or more diols and diisocyanate. Because of its adaptability, it may be used as a soft engineering plastic or as a substitute for stiff rubber products. Because TPU is thermoplastic, it has exceptional load-bearing capacity, high elongation at break, and remarkable tensile strength. You may refer to it as either plastic or rubber.
Because of the blended material’s various levels of inherent hardness, it may be used as both soft rubber and soft engineering plastic. To increase the tensile strength of other thermoplastics like ABS and Polycarbonate, TPU material is a premium addition. The flexural modulus of a TPU and ABS or PC composite can reach up to 150000 psi. Nonetheless, TPU (for Shore 70A) has a tensile strength of about 5076 psi.
Manufacturing of TPU Plastic
TPU’s three primary raw ingredients are:
- An extended-chain diol, or polyol
- A short-chain diol or chain extender
- A diisocyanate and one or more diols react with one another in a specific way to create a diisocyanate TPU plastic. It is a particular kind of segmented block polymer with both hard and soft parts.
Hard Segment: It consists of an isocyanate and a chain extruder that give TPU its physical performance attributes and provide it strength and rigidity.
The soft segment: This imparts flexibility and elastomeric properties to TPU material, and is made of polyol and isocyanate.
Classic Properties
I’ll attempt to go into depth about each property now. Here we go:
- Maximum Comfort
- Resistance to Scratches
- UV Resistance
- Excellent Transparency and resistance to abrasion
- Harmony with ergonomic software applications
Maximum Comfort
TPU filament offers consumers athletic apparel, footwear, structures, and building supplies the maximum level of comfort. It’s thought to be extremely breathable. TPU is the best option if clients choose comfort above price.
Several grades ought to be used, based on quality and comfort level. The best grades are those with values up to 10,000 g./m2/day (+560%). Vapor transfer for a typical TPU is less than 1,500 g/m2/day.
Breathable materials can be added to conventional TPU to adjust the breathability to the requirements.
Resistance to Scratch
Thermoplastic polyurethane must be chosen over all other thermoplastic materials when scratch and abrasion resistance is of utmost importance. Owing to its capabilities, TPU plastic has become essential for use in wires and cables, automobiles, industrial applications, sports, and recreation.
The weight loss of a product in a standardized wear test is used to measure a material’s scratch resistance; TPU performs far better than any other common thermoplastics, making it the best.
UV Resistance
Your beautiful parts’ color stability is maintained by TPU Film supplier. They maintain their essential mechanical qualities without sacrificing remarkable color stability or resistance to UV rays.
The features and conformance of the aliphatic TPU make it ideal for electrical applications. For all colored items, organizations may bank their scratch and UV resistance capabilities.
Excellent Transparency and Resistance to Abrasion
TPU which is clear and transparent and has a decent degree of hardness is widely available. This means that it may be useful for extrusion to produce transparent films and tubes, or it can be useful for injection molding to create glossy or technical components with a maximum thickness of 6 mm.
Other Principal Benefits
Elasticity is consistently preserved throughout all hardness levels. A variety of additives can decrease weather ability and friction while enhancing dimensional stability, fungal resistance, and heat resistance.
Polyurethanes are a shield against UV light oxidation by additives such as anime stabilizers, UV absorbers, and anti-oxidants. TPU material may now be useful in applications that call for thermal or light stability.
Another functional variant that is resistant to chemicals and microorganisms is aromatic TPUs. Wearing attractiveness brought on by extended exposure to heat and UV radiation is a significant disadvantage. Though it doesn’t have any long-term effects, the deterioration can lead to discoloration and, in the worst situation, the loss of physical characteristics.
Allopathic TPU filament, on the other hand, is light and stable by nature and is resistant to discoloration and further UV damage. Because of this, they work well as laminates that overlay on glaze and glass.
TPU’s Limitations
- Before processing, a drying period is important.
- Little more costly in comparison to other options.
- The limited temperature range during processing hinders any further speed increases.
- The very short life cycle of some grades may result in additional expenses.
- Demands unique production settings for all relevant techniques.
TPU Filament Applications
TPU is perfect for a variety of applications because of its simple processing and adaptability. Let’s talk about the top applications.
TPU Cases
Phone covers are arguably the most widely common item of TPU. Thermoplastic polyurethane casings are fashionable, flexible, and, above all, long-lasting (assuming you don’t want to constantly replace your cases).
Automobile
TPU is a great option for the very complex automobile sector because of its amazing scratch and aging qualities. It’s a less expensive option for producers because of its quick molding cycles. TPU material is suitable for gear knobs and console pieces because of its aging and scratch-resistant qualities as well as its low cost.
Textile Finishes
Textile applications should make use of T-die lamination, calendering, or sintering processes. TPU plastic is a great choice for coating applications such as military equipment, inflatable goods, converter belts, etc. because of its excellent mechanical qualities, chemical resistance, and weldability.
Gaskets and Seals
Gaskets and seals aid in stopping leaks of various kinds. Recently, specific TPU filaments and additives have been created in response to the quickly increasing need for thermoplastic with a modest compression set and sufficient oil resistance.
Prime examples of this type of alteration are industrial high-pressure hydraulic seals, which have their compression ratios lowered and their flow characteristics greatly improved.
Hoses and Tubes
Tubing and hoses are necessary for the easy handling of things. the extraordinary robustness for proper operation. This is where high-quality TPU Film excels, offering strength and suppleness that is difficult to find in other thermoplastics in addition to its unmatched mechanical, chemical, and kink resistance.