New Series of NexPrene® 9500 SHF Vulcanized Thermoplastic Elastomers

Solvay Engineered Polymers, Inc., has introduced a new series of vulcanized thermoplastic elastomers (TPVs) that feature the company's proprietary cure technology. Designated NexPrene® 9500 SHF (super high flow) materials, TPVs in the new series exhibit viscosities that are up to 60% lower than those of conventional thermoplastic elastomers. According to Solvay the features include:

• Efficient processing, excellent appearance: There are currently six grades in the new 9500 SHF series, ranging in hardness from 55 to 85 Shore A. Each material has been developed to offer injection molders higher melt-flow rates, shorter fill times, longer flow paths, and lower injection pressures. And, like every product in the NexPrene 9000 family, they are non hygroscopic, so they require no pre-drying prior to processing.
• High performance, lower costs in automotive glazing applications: Materials in the NexPrene 9500 SHF series are very stable, and they can be processed at higher temperatures than standard TPVs. These products can be processed in a wide temperature window up to 500 °F (260 °C) without showing signs of degradation. Processing at elevated temperatures accelerates and improves bonding to other TPVs in applications such as corner moldings for automotive glazing.
• New NexPrene® 9500 SHF thermoplastic elastomers : Among the uses for which the new series was developed is the encapsulation of window glass, which typically involves lower temperatures (between 375 °F and 475 °F – 190 °C and 245 °C), and lower molding pressures to avoid glass breakage. At such temperatures, the new NexPrene® 9500 series materials exhibit viscosities that remain 40 to 60% below those of traditional TPVs, which can contribute to lower scrap rates and lower costs.
• Colorable and UV stable : In soft-touch or flexible injection molded parts, the new NexPrene SHF materials are ideal for hard-to fill molds, such as parts with very thin walls or those involving long or complex flow paths. The excellent surface aesthetics produced by these elastomers is particularly important to designers of automotive interiors. An extensive body of weathering data has shown these materials to be UV stable in use. In addition, these products exhibit chemical resistance, oil resistance, and compression set comparable to thermoset rubber. Because the cure technology common to all NexPrene 9000 materials results in a clean, consistent natural, the new SHF materials can be easily produced in black or in a wide range of colors, including the lightest pastels.

SOURCE: Solvay Engineered Polymers, Inc.