What is TPR Material?

TPR is thermoplastic rubber material. It is a kind of thermoplastic material which has rubber elasticity and can be machined directly without vulcanization. TPR material is widely used in shoe industry and toy industry, is used to make insoles, toys and other products

The Difference Between TPR And TPE

TPE and TPR belong to thermoplastic elastomer, and there is no defined standard in elastomer industry at present. TPE is generally modified with SEBS as the basic material, and TPR is generally modified with the SBS as the basic material. SEBS is a material made of SBS after hydrogenation. SEBS has saturated molecular structure, its aging resistance, yellowing resistance, temperature resistance and corrosion resistance are better than those of SBS. Therefore, the related performance of TPE is better than that of TPR. The appearance difference between TPE and TPR:

1. The surface of TPE particles is mist or matte. 

2. TPE has the property of light irradiating astigmatism.

3. The surface of TPR particles is bright.

4. TPR is reflective, especially on the transparent material.

5. The feel of TPE is comfortable and smooth.

6. TPR is a little sticky.

7. Some products that need adhesive to be glued, such as shoes, handicrafts, toy dolls, etc., are generally used with TPR materials, because TPR is better bonded to adhesive. TPE materials are almost non-stick. TPR material is easy to color and is suitable for making brightly colored products. Both TPE and TPR have the plasticity of plastics and the elasticity of rubber, while the TPR molecule has the unsaturated molecular structure similar to that of rubber, so it has the handle and resilience of rubber.

8. TPE produces light smoke in combustion, while TPR produces smoke that is thicker and darker in combustion.

The Characteristics of TPR Material

TPR material has the characteristics of rubber, good elasticity, elastic resilience, contractility, wear resistance and weather resistance. However, the processing method is more convenient than rubber, which can be processed by ordinary injection molding machine, and can be used to toughen and modify plastics. When it is coated or co-injected with PP,ABS and other materials, it does not need to be vulcanized like rubber, which can improve the production efficiency. In addition, TPR material is a new type of environmental protection material. It is non-toxic and tasteless, which can be recycled. This is another huge advantage compared with rubber.

Compared with TPE material, TPR material has some shortcomings. The chemical resistance, weather resistance and hydrolysis resistance of TPR are not as good as those of TPE. This is why many of the high-end products on the market are made of TPE materials instead of TPR material.

The Use of TPR Material

Because the TPR material conforms to the environmental protection inspection standard, can replace the PVC material, is used as the preferred material in many industries such as medical industry, automobile industry, electronic communication and so on. At the same time, TPR material is also widely used in shoe industry and toy industry, is used to make insoles, toys and other products.

The above is a general introduction of TPR material, at least you can understand its characteristics and uses from the above.