Is there a difference between TPE and TPU?
TPE is a general term for all thermoplastic elastomers in a broad sense. But the commonly referred to as TPE is a blend of SEBS/SBS+PP+naphthenic oil+calcium carbonate+additives. It is also called environmentally friendly soft plastic in the industry, but it is sometimes called TPR.
TPU, also called polyurethane, has two types: polyester type and polyether type.
Both TPE and TPU are thermoplastic materials with rubber elasticity. For TPE and TPU materials with similar hardness, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish TPE or TPU by visual observation alone. But starting from the details, we can still analyze the difference between TPE and TPU from many aspects.
1.Transparency
The transparency of TPU is better than that of TPE, and it is not as easy to stick as transparent TPE.
2.Proportion
The specific gravity of TPE varies widely, ranging from 0.89 to 1.3, while TPU ranges from 1.0 to 1.4. In fact, in the process of using them, they mainly appear in the form of blends, so their specific gravity changes greatly!
3.Oil Resistance
TPU has better oil resistance, but it is difficult for TPE to achieve oil resistance.
4.After Burning
The burning of TPE has a light aroma, and the burning smoke is relatively small and light. TPU burns with a certain pungent odor, and there is a slight explosion sound when it burns.
5.Mechanical Properties
The elasticity and elastic recovery properties of TPU (flexibility and creep resistance) are better than TPE. Mainly, the material structure of TPU is a homogeneous polymer structure, which belongs to the category of polymer resins. And TPE is an alloy material with a multi-phase structure aggregated by multi-component blending. High-hardness TPE processing is prone to product deformation, and in all hardness ranges, TPU shows excellent elasticity, and the product is not easy to deform.
6.Temperature Resistance
TPE is -60 degrees Celsius to 105 degrees Celsius, and TPU is -60 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees Celsius.
7.Appearance and Feel
For some overmolded products, TPU materials have rough hand feeling and strong frictional resistance. The TPE material product has a delicate and soft touch and weak friction performance.
In summary, both TPE and TPU are soft materials and both have good rubber elasticity. In comparison, TPE is more excellent in terms of tactile comfort, and TPU has more excellent elasticity and strength.
Dongguan Zhanyi Commodity Technology Co., Ltd. produces stainless steel water cups and water bottles, as well as plastic water cups and water bottles. The company imports advanced biodegradable and environmentally friendly plastic materials to process and produce water cups of various styles and different capacities. Buyers from all over the world are welcome to contact our company's salesperson to get samples, and at the same time welcome everyone to visit our factory, we are willing to serve you wholeheartedly.