Keep your Elastomers flexible

Keep your Elastomers flexible
2
> Enhancing TPE
Introduction
As one of the leading international
manufacturers of specialty chemicals,
Clariant offers a wide range of pigments
and additives for thermoplastic
elastomers, TPE. This material is an
interesting alternative and complement
to rubber.
TPE’s have captured a significant, continuously
growing share of the plastics
market. They combine the mechanical
properties of vulcanized elastomers
with the processability and recyclability
of thermoplastics. At the same time,
they are distinguished by an agreeable
“soft touch”. The diverse areas of
application currently range from
sports shoe soles, ski boots, film and
rollers to hoses.
Blends such as TPE-O and TPE-V, or
block copolymers such as TPE-S, TPE-U,
TPE-E and TPE-A can be colored without
problem using high-performance
pigments from the PV Fast and Graphtol
ranges. Hostanox and Hostavin optimize
TPE’s shear resistance and lightfastness.
Licocene high-performance
polymers facilitate the manufacture
of masterbatches and compounding.
Additives from the Licowax, Licolub
and Licomont ranges can be used as
internal and external lubricants.
They facilitate processing and also act
as nucleating agents, acid receptors
and coupling agents. Last but not
least, Exolit non-halogenated flame
retardant systems ensure excellent
fire protection without impairing
the mechanical properties of these
elastomers.