- Focus on weight above the
waistline.
After years of focusing on reducing the weight of chassis frames, weight reductions are expected to come from above the "waistline" components that improve driving behaviour and driving stability. In particular, glass panes are expected to be replaced by polycarbonate panes allowing a significant weight reduction, Dr Knuth Schmidt, chief ......
- 20 Thermoplastic elastomers.
The invention of materials that process like thermoplastics but imitate the properties and feel of crosslinked rubbers began in 1958-59 with the commercial introduction of thermoplastic polyurethane and styrenic block copolymers (SBCs). The attraction of simpler and faster processing plus the ability to reprocess scrap gained these materials a permanent ......
- Feedstock cost surge spurs price hikes
Prices of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) have been on the upswing recently, largely due to escalating costs of oil and gas from which they are derived. Growth of these materials—which combine the elastomeric properties of rubber with the easy processability of plastics—has been robust in automotive and construction sectors. But several ......
- TPEs, TPUs, and TPVs for softer designs
From ultrasoft thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and high-performance rubberized thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) to alloyed thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPVs) GLS Corp., McHenry, III., has expanded its array of options for putting chemical-resistant, sure-grip surfaces on new designs. Versaflex CL2003 is reportedly one of the softest commercially available TPEs with a gellike hardness of ......
- Engineering thermoplastic processes like a
thermoset.
The first quarter of 2005 will see the first commercial production of a dramatically new family of resins that offer the processing advantages of liquid thermosets plus the properties and recyclability of engineering thermoplastics. Cyclics Corp., a company formed in 1999 to acquire patented technology developed by General Electric Co., ......
- TPU's get softer, slicker, lighter: strength and
transparency are maintained in BASF's Elastollan LoTac, which
eliminates the tackiness of soft TPU's--without
additives.
* BASF Corp., Wyandotte, Mich., has launched a new range of thermoplastic polyurethanes that push the performance envelope in several directions. The company has broken new ground with a non-plasticized soft TPU and a low-density TPU foam for shoe soles and cables. Other new developments include TPUs with inherently low ......
- New 'ultra' thermoplastics contend for top of performance pyramid.
The industry's broadest line of highly heat- and chemical-resistant thermoplastics is being fortified with several new amorphous and crystalline materials in the so-called "ultra-performance" category. According to Solvay Advanced Polymers, Alpharetta, Ga., market demand for lighter, tougher alternatives to metals, ceramics, and thermoset composites is driving development of new options ......