contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
For some applications, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE’s) can be a viable material alternative to silicone rubber for the production of parts and components. This blog highlights the differences between TPE’s and silicones and discusses applications where TPE’s as an alternative to silicone rubber may be considered.
TPE’s are thermoplastic rubbers. They are a special class of materials that consist of copolymers of plastic and rubber mixed together. As such, TPE’s combine the advantages of plastic and rubber materials: TPE’s can be compounded to have varying degrees of softness or hardness, as well as flexibility or stiffness.
TPE’s are increasingly used to manufacture parts and components, most often by extruding or injection molding the material into a finished part. There are six generic classes of TPE’s, including Thermoplastic Vulcanizates (TPV’s) of which Santoprene™ is the most widely known.
For some applications, TPE’s can be a lower-cost alternative to silicone rubber. While silicone rubber will often be the preferred material for parts which must be capable of withstanding high/low temperatures or pressures, and possess good chemical resistance, TPE’s can perform well where material softness/hardness, flexibility/stiffness, lightweighting, or resistance to abrasion are required. TPE’s compounded in higher durometers with non-extractables are now available to service some food-grade or pharmaceutical/medical applications.
As an example, in the automotive industry, where vehicle lightweighting has assumed heightened importance as automakers strive to build cars that are less heavy and more fuel efficient, parts made from Santoprene™ and other TPE materials are replacing those previously made from heavier materials such as EPDM rubber or metal. TPE’s can also replace silicone rubber in uses where the properties of silicone are not needed – examples include some medical or pharmaceutical uses.
CRG can provide parts fashioned from TPE materials through extrusion, molding or cutting. Examples of parts we can supply includes the following:
Gaskets
Weatherseals, including those for doors, windows, hoods, and trunks
Air ducts and HVAC parts
Bellows and sleeves
Bumpers
Cable jacketing
Grommets and plugs
Molded and extruded parts
Gaskets and seals
Watertight seals and connectors for electrical and electronic applications
Vibration dampeners
Rail and bridge pads
Custom fabricated parts
Tubes and hoses
Seals and gaskets
Flexible and soft parts
If you have an application that could use parts made from TPE’s as an alternative to silicone rubber, CRG will be pleased to discuss your needs. The CRG sales team will be pleased to review your application and propose how we can service your needs.
For further information, please contact our sales team at crg@canadarubbergroup.com.
Please visit our website for more information on this topic.
Want more information on hydrophobic powder china? Feel free to contact us.