Please visit: Kaneka Texas Corp.
Modifier, SIBSTAR, SUNDUREN
Mailing Address:
6161 Underwood Road
Pasadena,
TX
77507
US
Toll-Free:
800-526-3223
Fax:
281-447-0757
Last fall’s K 2010 fair in Germany drew dozens of materials suppliers to show off hundreds of new products, aimed especially at packaging,medical, automotive, and electrical/electronics.
Olefinic TPEs originally comprised only two classes of rubber-modified polypropylene, known as TPO and TPV. More recently, these have been supplemented by new types of olefinic elastomers that can be used on their own or as the rubber component in TPO/TPV compounds. Additionally, a small handful of specialty TPEs using olefinic matrices occupy niche applications.
This first of two articles on directions in TPE development focuses on styrenic, copolyester, polyamide, and TP urethane elastomers. The following article covers olefinics—TPOs, TPVs, and POEs.
Major chemical companies are investing big bucks in new plants and technologies to produce plastics from annually renewable sources, not from petrochemicals.
The latest K show was rich in additives that can ease processing and end-use problems of thermoplastics and thermosets.
Higher flow, higher heat, higher barrier, higher clarity, higher stiffness, lower durometer, lower smoke, lower odor—materials exhibits at the recent K 2004 show in Dusseldorf were stretching the bounds of processing and performance properties in all directions.