MATERIALS | THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMERS
Right: PolyOne reSound OM bio-derived TPEs have up to 50% bio-renewable content, derived from sugarcane
copolyesters, acetals, PBT, and ASA.” Teknor Apex has developed a wide range of TPEs whose chemistries have been modified to adhere to these substrates. Typically, each substrate requires a different TPE chemistry for adhesion. Grades are supplied under the Monprene OM brand, the Medalist brand for medical applications, and the Sarlink brand for the automotive industry. “Each product line is designed to comply with
regulations and specifications unique to that industry,” says Ponte. “A new Medalist series, for example, exhibits strong adhesion to PC and PC alloys and provides enhanced resistance to lotions and disinfectants encountered in wearable medical devices.” Lubrizol has recently extended its Estane VSN
portfolio of TPUs for eyewear. It says the lightweight product range has shown unique properties when applied via over-moulding in safety, sports or fashion glasses, as well as in other consumer-related applications. “Specifically, it is working as a solution for customers facing adhesion problems brought about by having to bond soft/hard materials such as polycarbonate, nylon or metal,” the company says. Very high gloss colour without coating can be achieved, and bonding to coatings requires no primer. The highly impact-resistant grades provide high aesthetic quality; for example in children’s eyewear frames that use different colours or glitter, says Lubrizol. The materials also show high resistance to abrasion and chemicals used in skincare products. Most recent developments include a softer grade used for flexible and soft-touch eyewear parts such as temples and nose pads. PolyOne is also emphasizing over-moulding,
with its recently-launched reSound TPEs. These are the latest addition to its “sustainable solutions” portfolio, using between 40 and 50% bio-
renewable content derived from sugarcane. They have hardness levels and performance comparable with standard TPEs. Jim Mattey, global marketing director, Specialty
Engineered Materials at PolyOne, says the new materials meet the needs of OEMs, particularly those offering consumer products, who want to incorporate environmentally responsible materials in their designs while still meeting functional requirements. The product portfolio consists of four over- moulding grades compatible with PP, and one suited for moulding over ABS. “All grades are formulated for durability, delivering property retention and UV resistance comparable to traditional TPEs,” says PolyOne. In addition, the new grades feature easy
colourability, a major requirement for applications such as cosmetics packaging, personal care products, and consumer electronics. With an opaque natural colour, all reSound OM materials can either use traditional TPE colorants or be paired with sustainable colorants from PolyOne. Further supporting sustainability, when manufacturing with reSound OM, production scrap material can be reused. Hexpol TPE is another TPE supplier expanding
Notched impact strength of an Estane VSN grade of TPU from Lubrizol compared with various engineering thermoplastics (numbers in ft-lbf/in)
44 INJECTION WORLD | May 2020
its portfolio of bio-based TPE compounds, as well as grades containing recycled content. It launched its Dryflex Circular range at K2019. Kirsty Wood, Development Technologist and Sustainability Lead at the company’s UK site, says: “Consumers are more aware than ever of what happens to plastic products once they’ve finished using them, whether that’s recycling, incineration, landfill or even marine littering.” The Dryflex Circular range is structured into different series based on the recyclate source,
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IMAGE: POLYONE
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