German composites manufacturer Kraiburg TPE is using a technology that combines the best of both worlds to produce a high-performance thermoplastic elastomer blend (THE).
The company is currently in the testing phase of TEH technology, which combines the processability of plastics with the application properties of elastomers to produce chemically and heat resistant hybrid materials.
"With this technology, the material can withstand high temperatures up to 150 °, and our goal is to enter new market areas such as automotive and industrial machinery," KRAIBURG TPE CEO Franz Hinterecker said.
The properties of these TEH materials include 55-80 Shore A (Shore hardness), continuous operating temperatures up to 150 ° C (302 ° F), and chemical stability when in contact with materials such as oils, lubricants, fuels, and coolants .
The product is particularly suitable for internal combustion engine environments, thermal management of electric vehicle drives and batteries, as well as lubrication and cooling systems for machines, process technology and buildings.
According to Hinterecker, the difference between TEH materials and other traditional thermoplastic elastomers is the polymer base.
"Simply put, we can use almost any kind of rubber to produce these products. So we created a platform where we can compound different kinds of TPE based on rubber technology."
Until now, traditional TPEs have primarily used EPDM / polypropylene blends as the basis, which has limited product performance.
According to Hinterecker, KRAIBURG TPE is currently working with customers to develop new applications for this material. The company said the material has cost-effective advantages in addition to its fast processability.
Hinterecker noted that as demand for TPEs continues to increase, the company is currently pursuing a series of expansion plans around the world.
In Malaysia, the company will add a fifth extrusion line by the end of this year to add 5,000 tonnes of capacity.
In Waldkraiburg, Germany, an expansion project is underway with the addition of an extrusion line and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of next year. The addition of a production line of 10,000 tons / year will increase the company's European composite capacity to 40,000 tons.
At this year's German Plastics Industry Exhibition (Fakuma), KRAIBURG TPE exhibited its latest series of Thermolast K multi-purpose TPE products, which were specially developed for the automotive interior market.
The compounds in the new product portfolio are focused on atomized and low-odor volatile organic compounds. This series of materials has excellent properties, has reliable adhesion to polypropylene, and has good abrasion resistance. The material can also be processed at relatively low pressures.
Hinterecker said: "Smell has become a big topic in the automotive industry. We have had different experiences with scent. In China, customers want new cars without any odor, and in Europe, buyers look forward to smelling the new car."
It turns out that testing for odor is difficult for companies because it can be a subjective issue.
Although odor preferences are different, emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) are a serious problem for each region, and newly developed compounds will solve this problem.