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.

Contents
Chemistry
Morphology
Uses
Overview of TPU on the market
Table of properties
Trade names
See also
References

Chemistry
TPU is a block copolymer consisting of alternating sequences of hard and soft segments or domains formed by the reaction of (1)
diisocyanates with short-chain diols (so-called chain extenders) and (2) diisocyanates with long-chain diols. By varying the ratio,
structure and/or molecular weight of the reaction compounds, an enormous variety of different TPU can be produced. This allows
urethane chemists to fine-tune the polymer's structure to the desired final properties of the material. For example, a greater ratio
of hard to soft segments will result in a more rigid TPU, while the reverse is also true.

Morphology
The final resin consists of linear polymeric chains in block-structures. Such chains contain low polarity segments which are rather
long (called soft segments), alternating with shorter, high polarity segments (called hard segments). Both types of segments are
linked together by covalent links so that they actually form block-copolymers.

The polarity of the hard pieces creates a strong attraction between them, which causes a high degree of aggregation and order in
this phase, forming [[crystal] a]line or pseudo crystalline areas located in a soft and flexible matrix. This so-called phase
separation between both blocks can be more or less important, depending on the polarity and the molecular weight of the flexible
chain, the production conditions, etc. The crystalline or pseudo crystalline areas act as physical cross-links, which account for the
high elasticity level of TPU, whereas the flexible chains will impart the elongation characteristics to the polymer.

These "pseudo crosslinks", however, disappear under the effect of heat, and thus the classical extrusion, injection molding and
calendaring processing methods are applicable to these materials. Consequently, TPU scrap can be reprocessed.

Uses
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.[1][2] 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.[3]

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.[4]

TPU is a common filament material for use in fused filament fabrication 3D printing due to the fact that it is an elastic
thermoplastic which makes it ideal for printing objects that need to be flexible and elastic. The fact that TPU is a thermoplastic
also allows it to be melted, extruded, then cooled back into a solid which is necessary when 3D printing using fused filament
fabrication.

Overview of TPU on the market

Properties of commercially available TPU include:

high abrasion resistance

low-temperature performance
high shear strength
high elasticity
transparency
oil and grease 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). The differences between these two
groups are outlined in the table below:

Table of properties
Table 1: Main differences between polyester- and polyether-based TPU.[5]

(A = excellent; B = good; C = acceptable; D = poor; F = very poor)

Property Polyester-based TPU Polyether-based TPU

Abrasion resistance A C
Mechanical properties A B
Low temperature flexibility C A
Heat aging B D
Hydrolysis resistance F A
Chemical resistance A D
Microbial resistance F B
Adhesion strength B D
Injectability A C

In other words, polyether-based TPU is used only in cases where excellent hydrolysis and microbial resistance is required, as well
as in cases where extreme low-temperature flexibility is important.
When stable light colour and non-yellowing performance are required, aliphatic TPU based on aliphatic isocyanates is used.

Recently, BASF has pioneered crosslinking during TPU production, made possible by adding liquid crosslinkers and using a
masterbatch. Plant-based bio TPU has been developed for green thermoplastic elastomer applications by Merquinsa and GRECO,
marketed as Pearlthane ECO and Isothane respectively...

Trade names
Key commercial brands available are:

Epamould, Epaline for extrusion, Epacol for adhesives, Pakoflex for Synthetic Leather (EPAFLEX)
Elastollan (BASF & former Elastogran)[6]
Pearlthane (Merquinsa, now part of Lubrizol)[7]
Desmopan (Covestro)[8]
Estane (Lubrizol)[9]
Pellethane (Lubrizol)[10]
New power industrial limited (New power®)
Irogran (Huntsman)[11]
Exelast EC (Shin-Etsu Polymer Europe B.V.)[12]
Laripur (COIM SpA)[13]
Avalon (Huntsman) -
Isothane (Greco)[14]
Zythane (Alliance Polymers & Services)[15]
TPU 95A (Ultimaker)
Boost (Adidas)
LUVOSINT (LEHVOSS)[16]

See also
Polycarbonate
Silicone
Mobile phone cover

References
1. "Texin® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) resin" (http://www.bayermaterialsciencenafta.com/products/index.cfm?
mode=grades&pp_num=EB7C7700-EF25-9E21-C715C02FFC344F06). Bayer Material Science. Retrieved
2012-02-26.
2. "Thermoplastic Polyurethane" (http://polyurethane.americanchemistry.com/Introduction-to-Polyurethanes/Applicat
ions/Thermoplastic-Polyurethane). American Chemical Council. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
3. Michael, John. "TPU Cases" (http://www.cellz.com/blog/157-tpu-cases-popular/). Cellz. Retrieved 13 November
2014.
4. http://pub.lubrizol.com/Engineered-Polymers/Markets/Industrial-Solutions
5. "PEARLTHANE" (http://www.merquinsa.com/p_info/pearlthane.asp#pseriestable). Merquinsa, A Lubrizol
Company. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
6. "BASF - Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers" (http://www.polyurethanes.basf.de/pu/solutions/en/content/grou
p/Arbeitsgebiete_und_Produkte/Thermoplastische_Spezialelastomere/index).
7. "Merquinsa home page" (http://www.merquinsa.com). Merquinsa. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
 8. "Bayer MaterialScience - Thermoplastic Polyurethanes" (http://www.bayermaterialscience.com/internet/global_po
rtal_cms.nsf/id/TC_Thermoplastische_Polyurethane_en). Bayer. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
9. "Estane Engineered Polymers" (http://www.estane.com/). Lubrizol. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
10. "Lubrizol - Pellethane TPE" (http://www.lubrizol.com/Medical/Products/Pellethane.html). Lubrizol. Retrieved
18 February 2011.
11. "Huntsman TPU: Shaping Your World" (http://www.huntsman.com/pu/eng/Products/Thermoplastic_polyurethane
s/Welcome_to_the_world_of_TPU!/HUNTSMAN_TPU:_SHAPING_YOUR_WORLD/index.cfm?PageID=8428).
Huntsman Corporation. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
12. "Shin-Etsu Polymor Co., Ltd - Products" (http://www.shinpoly.co.jp/english/product/automotive/index.html). Shin-
Etsu Chemical. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
13. "Chemical Products - Laripur - Thermoplastic polyurethanes" (http://www.coimgroup.com/locator.cfm?PageID=19
6). COIM Group. Retrieved 18 February 2011.
14. "GRECO - Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers" (http://www.greco.com.tw/en/index.html). greco.com.tw/.
Retrieved 2009-12-26.
15. Zythane (http://www.apstpe.com/media/pdf/aps-press0620013.pdf)
16. "3D Printing Materials" (http://www.luvosint.com/). LEHVOSS. Retrieved 2018-07-25.

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This page was last edited on 19 November 2019, at 20:43 (UTC).

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