>> What is TPU material?
TPU is short for Thermoplastic Urethane. It is a polymer material made of diisocyanate molecule,s such as diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) or toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and macromolecular polyols and low molecular polyols (chain extender) reacted and polymerized together.
TPU has excellent high tension, high tensile strength, strong and aging-resistant properties, and has developed into a mature material. At present, TPU is widely used in automotive, medical area, electronic and electrical appliances and sports fields.
>> Do you know the types of TPU? What is the difference between polyester and polyether TPU?
The soft section of TPU could be a variety of polyalcohols, which can be broadly categorized into two types of polyether and polyester.
Polyether type (Ether) has high strength, hydrolysis resistance and high resilience, good low temperature performance.
Polyester (Ester) has better tensile properties, flexural properties, wear resistance and solvent resistance and resistance to higher temperatures.
>> What are the main applications of TPU materials?
> Shoe elastomer
TPU is mainly used as sole materials and shoes accessories, such as tags, decorative parts, the outer layer of the sole, shoe uppers, etc. It can replace rubber, thermoplastic polyolefin and other materials.
> Tube
TPU tube is widely used in air and oil hoses for airplanes, tanks, automobiles, motorcycles, and other mechanical equipment. Tubes produced with TPU have the advantages of good flexibility, dimensional stability, good transparency, good resistance to chemicals and hydrolysis, good pressure resistance.
> Automobile
TPU is mainly used for outer body parts, main body side parts, bumpers, bushings, gaskets, seals, instrument covers and oil pipeline bushings.
> Wire and cable sheathing
TPU has excellent low-temperature flexibility, marble resistance, moisture resistance, can meet the requirements of applications in harsh environments.
> Film and Sheet
The films and sheets produced with TPU have excellent low-temperature flexibility, good abrasion resistance, good transparency, easy to color and other advantages. The main application areas are lifeboats, life jackets, raincoats, conveyor belts and so on.
> Adhesive
TPU adhesive has chemical resistance, hydrolysis resistance, good low-temperature flexibility, high elongation, bending fatigue performance is excellent.
>> How to obtain high quality durable TPU?
When the products made of TPU (especially aromatic TPU) in the natural environment for long-term use or storage, by ultraviolet light, heat, oxygen and moisture, etc., the appearance, physical and mechanical properties will be great decline, or even loss of value. The aging mechanism of TPU is mainly the oxidation reaction of the aromatic diisocyanate under ultraviolet irradiation to form diquinone imide chromogenic group, and further cause the automatic oxidation degradation of aryl-containing TPU, so that TPU occurs chemical crosslinking, and make the product color yellow or even brown.
>OMNISTAB Solution for TPU:
UV absorber:
OMNISTAB UV1 belong to Formamidine-type absorber, could highly absorb the UV band which polyurethane are sensitive.
OMNISTAB UV571 is a kind of Benzotriazole UV absorber designed for polyurethane to prevent resin from UV-aging. It’s especially suitable for TPU and PU foam.
Antioxidant:
OMNISTAB AN245 is a high-performance hindered phenolic antioxidant TPU, spandex, polyurethane adhesives, sealants and other products.
OMNISTAB HN130 widely used in the production process of PU profiles, shoe materials and polyurethane fibers to prevent yellowing during processing.
