Distrupol adds plasticizer-free, super-soft thermoplastic polyurethanes to its portfolio for the United Kingdom and Ireland

Distrupol, a member company of Univar and a leading European polymer distributor, technical service and solutions provider, has added two new ranges of plasticizer-free, super soft thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) to its portfolio for the United Kingdom and Ireland where the company is the established distribution leader. These are designated Elastollan® HPM and Elastollan® SPF.

Produced by Elastogran GmbH, a subsidiary of BASF AG and a world leader in polyurethane technology, Elastollan HPM offers moulders an optimal TPU solution, by providing permanent low hardness levels, between 65 to 85 Shore A. It also delivers excellent mechanical performance, with improved compression set and temperature resistance. In addition it demonstrates good mould release and shorter cycle times. Further the various hardness types of Elastollan HPM have been approved for interior and exterior applications by a number of major European car manufactures.

The new Elastollan SPF brings new advantages to two-component injection moulding. This breakthrough product - based on new formulation and production processes - combines high mechanical performance characteristics and soft touch flexibility, which were previously only attainable from TPUs with the addition of a plasticizer.

Traditionally non-plasticized TPUs with hardness below 80 Shore A have offered only moderate properties and presented some difficulties in moulding. TPUs with the addition of plasticizer have provided hardness below 70 Shore A, however with a reduction in mechanical properties. They can also exhibit poor adhesion to hard plastic components in two-component injection moulded applications, and an increase in hardness in the final product due to plasticizer migration.

“Elastollan HPM and SPF super soft TPUs are an important addition to our range of flexible polymers. They enable us to offer customers a wider range of economic and performance solutions in two-component moulding and demanding applications and therefore another possibility to improve their competitiveness,” says Derek Bean, Polymer Engineer of Distrupol.

According to John Harrop, UK Business Manager TPU - Elastomers: “Distrupol has handled the small lot distribution of Elastollan TPUs in the UK and Ireland since March 2004 and based on the success of that they were our natural choice as distributor for these new product types. Importantly, Distrupol’s structure matches with our philosophy in respect of technical service and development. And, the company maintains a sizable engineering team with proven materials knowledge, which is capable of linking up their Elastollan customers with the strong technical experience and support provided by Elastogran.”

Elastollan HPM and SPF can be processed on conventional injection moulding and extrusion machines, as well as on multi-component machines where they can be combined with engineering plastics and rubber. Furthermore, these new super soft TPUs, which can be easily coloured, have already begun to establish themselves in applications requiring an agreeable ‘dry feel’ texture surface within the automotive, machinery construction and electrical equipment industry sectors.

Elastollan® is a registered trademark of Elastogran GmbH