THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMERS | MATERIALS
ranging from 20 to 95 Shore A. AudiaFlex materials are said to be able to compete in high-performance applications with conventional TPEs, TPVs, and TPU chemistries in personal care, consumer household, consumer electronics, automotive, and toys. They are pro- duced at Audia facilities in Lafayette, US, and Shenzhen, China. Mocom, the compounder that was previously a division of Albis, is expanding its TPV portfolio with a new product line called Alfater XL Eco, containing several new PP+EPDM grades based on high-quali- ty PIR PP. Formulations with bio-EPDM are also available on request. Various Shore hardness are available. Mocom says grades combine sustainabil- ity with the typical TPV properties, such as a low compression set (also at high temperatures) and good heat aging resistance. The content of PP recyclate depends on the
hardness and can be higher than 80% for Shore D50 grades. According to Stefan Zepnik, Director of the Mocom Technical Service Centre, this enables CO2
Above: The Buick GL6 is the first mass-produced car in the world to take advantage of Kraton’s IMSS technology for production of large thin- walled soft-skin parts – in this case the instrument panel
savings of about 50% in comparison
to a virgin or prime TPV with Shore D50. Alfater XL Eco is suitable for 2K molding and demonstrates excellent bonding to polyolefinic materials. The new grades are suitable for the manufacture of automotive components, including under-the-hood as well as exterior parts. Further potential is seen in such diverse applications as profiles, seals, casters, dampers and protectors, grips, and soft-touch applications.
Bio-based TPEs Hexpol TPE is also addressing sustainability issues on several fronts. It already has compounds containing recyclate, but more recently it has been adding to its Dryflex Green family of bio-based
compounds. The series now includes grades based on TPS (styrenic block copolymer TPEs and also TPO modified polyolefin – not TPEs in the strictest sense) technologies, with amounts of renewable content up to about 90% (ASTM D 6866-12). Hardnesses range from 15 Shore A to 60 Shore D. Dryflex Green TPE compounds are made using
raw materials from renewable resources such as by-products from plant and vegetable crop cultivation. Hexpol says they can usually be used as a drop-in solution, without the need for tool modifications. They display mechanical and physical properties comparable to TPE compounds from fossil-based raw materials. They also show very good bonding behaviour to PE and PP, with special grades for bonding to ABS, PC/ABS and PET. Hexpol says they are easy to colour, and grades are available with raw materials that are compliant with food contact regulations. “Alongside our TPEs with recycled content and biocomposite compounds, we are developing an extensive portfolio of resource-saving materials,”
New SealCare TPEs from Benvic
PVC compounds producer Benvic has launched the SealCare product line based on a thermoplastic elastomer compound which it is targeting at food and beverage applications. The SealCare range currently consists of general purpose grades, TPE086 and TPE088 oil free, for crown cork closure liners. “This new product fits perfectly with our strategy of creating product extensions from our PVC base and history,” says Glenn Tackacs, product
www.injectionworld.com
manager for SealCare. “SealCare will become a leading part of our new Xtended materials product line – in addition to ProVinyl, Plantura and Medical.” The SealCare TPEs have been optimised to deliver improvements in sealing which helps customers to offer closures with superior material properties and to improve their productivity, says Benvic. Develop- ment involved researching the desired materials with machinery makers.
“SealCare has been thoroughly assessed and approved by global leaders in machinery manufacturing and converting,” says Takacs. “Close collaboration with several closure manufacturers has already made our product a solution which will meet both performance and cost optimisation.” Benvic says the TPEs development demonstrates its engineering know- how beyond PVC, able to sustain the position of a solution provider across a variety of polymeric materials.
May 2021 | INJECTION WORLD 19
IMAGE: KRATON
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