Weight-Saving Thermoplastic Elastomers
Our partner KRAIBURG TPE introduces the world's first weight-saving Thermoplastic Elastomers – Featherlight without foam for demanding components.
KRAIBURG TPE has developed an innovative material technology that results in Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPEs) with very low density. The outcome is three new product series for extremely weight-saving parts, which are increasingly required, particularly in automotive manufacturing, power tools, and various other application areas.
To reduce the CO2 emissions of their vehicle fleets and improve the fuel efficiency or range of new models, automotive manufacturers are continuously seeking lightweight solutions, especially for unsprung masses within and on their vehicles. However, in other industries as well, such as power tools, aerospace, drones, textiles, sports, leisure, and outdoor articles, low weight and increased mobility play a crucial role in market success.
Therefore, foamable materials, including TPEs, are often used, but these require very precise process control to achieve uniform surface quality without streaks.
KRAIBURG TPE has now successfully implemented an outstanding new TPE technology using 3M™ Glass Bubbles, which enables the production of featherlight and thin-walled, yet mechanically resilient molded parts with excellent surfaces at very low material densities between 0.7 and 0.9 g/cm³.
Glass Bubbles are microscopic hollow spheres made of water-insoluble, chemically stable borosilicate glass, which distribute particularly uniformly within the TPE matrix and also contribute to dimensional stability.
The new lightweight TPEs can be economically injection molded and extruded on standard equipment. In addition to significant weight savings (see table) and very homogeneous surfaces, they also provide excellent compression set values. Production waste is directly recyclable.
KRAIBURG TPE initially offers the world's first TPEs of this kind in three specific product series:
- THERMOLAST® K LW/UV (Lightweight + UV resistance), particularly for automotive exterior components.
- THERMOLAST® K LW/CS/UV (Lightweight + improved compression set + UV stability) with excellent adhesion to polypropylene and recovery properties, making this product series particularly suitable for various sealing applications.
- THERMOLAST® K LW/PA (Lightweight + adhesion to polyamides), also with HB flame retardancy rating according to UL94, ideal for power tools, for example.
"3M™ Glass Bubbles have already proven effective as a weight-saving filler in various 'hard' thermoplastics, but with our new lightweight technology, they are being used in TPEs for the first time," emphasizes Martina Hetterich, Project Manager Advance Development at KRAIBURG TPE. "Thanks to the excellent collaboration with our partner 3M™, we were able to develop formulations that not only meet current lightweight and quality requirements of existing customers but also open up entirely new markets for the economical application of our TPEs."
The three new THERMOLAST® K Lightweight series from KRAIBURG TPE are now available from Plastoplan Kunststoffe.
