MATERIALS | THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMERS


pean capacity to manufacture TPEs and also engineering thermoplastic compounds. It will include an extensive laboratory for developing new compounds and providing customers with design support, application development, and product/ process training.


Above: Syringes with stoppers


shown in black


of Teknor Apex. He adds that the company can develop custom formulations if necessary. At recent exhibitions in Europe, the company has also been showing off several new TPE families, notably types for over-moulding. At Plastpol, for example, it was highlighting materials for major TPE markets in Poland – large appliances, automo- tive, power tools and consumer products among them – and also drawing attention to what it says is a major investment to expand support for custom- ers in Poland and throughout Europe. The company has a new 15,000 m2


complex


under construction in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany, due to start up later this year. Replacing a smaller compounding operation at a nearby site, the new facility will expand the company’s Euro-


Among new compounds introduced at the show was Sarlink 14155 TPV, which shows Improved Speed of Elastic Recovery, or “snap,” valued in components such as seals, gaskets, and hoses for large appliances. A new family of styrenic TPEs, PTS-Thermoflex E, are claimed to provide improved mechanical properties and abrasion resistance for applications that undergo repeated dynamic use or everyday wear and tear, such as soft-touch buttons and grips, hinges, and tool handles. The series includes Shore A hardnesses from 50 to 85. The compounds can be over-moulded onto polyolefins. Also for over-moulding are PTS-Thermoflex A


and PTS-Thermoprene A TPE. These adhesion- modified styrenic TPEs (PTS-Thermoflex) and PP/ EPDM-based TPVs (PTS-Thermoprene) are formu- lated for strong bonds to a wide range of engineer- ing thermoplastics. Six series are available, each with a range of hardnesses, performance capabili- ties, and applicable substrates. Earlier last year, Teknor Apex introduced medical-grade Medalist TPEs for injection moulded plunger stoppers for syringes, saying they provide


Giving dogs something to chew on


US-based compounder Audia Elastomers says it is meeting the growing needs of the durable pet toy market with an extensive range of high-performance TPEs that deliver durability, tear strength, high clarity, and adhesion to other polymers. The company offers customised materials based on most TPE types, which it says allow brand owners to position their products at various retail price points from high-end, boutique products to mass market, big box store materials. Kraiburg TPE has a similar story, of


a Thermolast K compound tailored to the precise balance of hardness and flexibility for a durable dog toy in combination with superior adhesion to polyamide and excellent colour- ability. Its material is also made in the US, addressing the preferences of


22 INJECTION WORLD | May 2019


many American pet owners for all-domestic products. This supplier says there is a


growing awareness in the pet toys market for safe and sustainable materials that do not contain any hazardous substances while offering enhanced aesthetics and durability.


“As a growing segment in the con- sumer market, pet toys require similar features of safety, sustainability and ruggedness as consumers would naturally expect from children’s toys,” says Kevin Gase, Sales and Marketing Director of Kraiburg TPE Americas. “At the same time, manufacturers need innovative materials that will meet their demands of cost-efficiency.” The natural grade selected for the toy can be coloured in brilliant, rich shades and delivers a highly attractive as well as scratch resistant surface, Kraiburg TPE says, and it also shows excellent UV, ozone and weathering resistance. “In terms of mechanical properties, we were able to customize the compound to the exact level of hardness and flexibility required to achieve the desired soft feel and resilience,” notes Gase.


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PHOTO: TEKNOR APEX


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