Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)

THERMOPLASTIC POLYURETHANE:

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is any of a class of polyurethane plastics with many properties, including elasticity, transparency, and resistance to oil, grease and abrasion. Technically, they are thermoplastic elastomers consisting of linear segmented block copolymers composed of hard and soft segments.

TPU offers flexibility without the use of plasticizers as well as a broad range of hardness's and high elasticity. In fact, TPU bridges the material gap between rubbers and plastics. Its range of physical properties enables TPU to be used as both a hard rubber and a soft engineering thermoplastic.

Any substance and material can be potentially or inherently toxic or safe depending on several factors. In general, TPU is not toxic; is safe in many applications. It is even used in biomedical applications. The potential toxicity of polymers may be caused by some factors.

TPU has many applications including automotive instrument panels, caster wheels, power tools, sporting goods, medical devices, drive belts, footwear, inflatable rafts, and a variety of extruded film, sheet and profile applications. TPU is also a popular material found in outer cases of mobile electronic devices, such as mobile phones. It is also used to make keyboard protectors for laptops.

TPU is well known for its applications in performance films, wire and cable jacketing, hose and tube, in adhesive and textile coating applications and as an impact modifier of other polymers.

Properties

1. Good chemical resistance 

2. Absorption of shocks and vibrations 

3. High Flex life 

4. Permanent buckling strength 

5. Good recovery after deformation 

6. Low gas permeability

7. Good resistance to tear propagation

8. High abrasion resistance 

9. High elasticity over the entire hardness range 

10. Good resistance to weathering 

11. High scratch resistance

The currently available TPUs can be divided mainly in two groups, based on soft segment chemistry:

1. Polyester-based TPUs (mainly derived from adipic acid esters)

2. Polyether-based TPUs (mainly based on tetrahydrofuran (THF) ethers).