PolyOne: New TPE-V Technology
PolyOne announced today the investment in new production facilities in Germany and the launch of a new range of thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). The TPE product range will be marketed under the brand OnFlex thermoplastic elastomers and includes a new range of “next generation” vulcanised thermoplastic elastomers (TPE-V).
For some time PolyOne has marketed a full range of TPE, including Bergaflex® TPE-S (styrene block copolymer) and TPE-V (vulcanised polyolefin-based elastomers). The TPE-V based on conventional technology had limitations in some applications particularly in the automotive sector, or where coloration with masterbatch or bright colors were required. The new range of OnFlex-V TPE-V overcomes these limitations.
As a result of PolyOne’s recent investment in proven TPE-V technology, OnFlex-V will be immediately available from PolyOne’s facility in Germany. This new ‘next generation’ vulcanised thermoplastic elastomers (TPE-V) has improved colorability, and significantly reduced odour and fogging.
OnFlex-V offers the typical mechanical and themal properties associated with a
TPE-V, including low compression set, high operating temperatures (up to 135C), and good chemical resistance. The added benefits of OnFlex-V include:
• Wide hardness range (Shore 40A to 60D), covering the needs of most applications and the ability to be processed by injection molding, extrusion, and blow molding;
• Excellent ‘white’ base color enabling bright and pastel shade colors to be achieved. The product can be supplied either pre-colored to the customer’s specification, or natural which can be colored ‘in-process’ using a color concentrate, for example with PolyOne’s OnColor color concentrates;
• Very low odour and low fogging grades available, to meet the requirements for automotive interior parts.
As part of this project, PolyOne will expand the production area at it’s facility in Gaggenau, Germany. When completed this will result in increased capacity for all OnFlex thermoplastic elastomers including the new OnFlex-V product. The new production area also allows for further expansion as demand for the product range continues to grow.
Commenting on the investment, TPE platform manager Marc Setzen explained “The expansion in both capacity and technology base brings our capability to a new level. It is the first step in our enhanced commitment to serve our TPE customers, and I am personally excited by what the new OnFlex-V product range brings us.”
At Fakuma PolyOne will announce its OnFlex TPE range including OnFlex-S
(TPE-S), OnFlex-V (TPE-V) and OnFlex-O (TPE-O). PolyOne will demonstrate the coloration capability of this new TPE-V compound at Fakuma by injection molding parts using OnFlex-V TPE-V together with new OnColor-HL highly loaded color concentrate.