What's the Difference? TPEs vs. Silicones H1

We take an objective look at both TPEs and liquid silicone rubber to help you make a more informed decision Intro.

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H2 Let’s Compare

Across dozens of industries and in a countless number of applications, product designers and manufacturers have turned to thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) and liquid silicone rubber (LSR) to replace natural rubber. As suppliers of these materials continue to develop innovations in chemistry and capabilities, the appeal of both TPEs and LSR will grow even stronger.

Choosing between TPEs and LSR can be tricky. You need to evaluate a wide array of material performance and processing factors in context of product specification and budget requirements. The ultimate goal is to achieve the results you want in the most cost-effective manner by using the material that is best suited to your application. This high-level, objective look at both TPEs and LSR touches on some key topics to consider in three critical categories—design, production and performance—to help you make a more informed decision.

H3 Haptics

How a product feels to the touch is often an important factor in design, particularly on surgical instruments that require a combination of grip and control, or on consumer goods that are frequently handled. TPEs offer flexibility through chemistry. Depending on the formulation, TPEs can produce a range of tangible finishes—from silky smooth, to slightly tacky, to very grippy. LSR will yield either a dry, slippery surface or a soft, rubbery feel not unlike that of human skin. It is also possible to add additional surface texture to a finished product by bead-blasting or chemically texturing the mold used in processing the material. Adding surface texture can make harder grade TPEs feel softer to the touch, so your product can benefit from both qualities. Do note that LSR is generally more capable of reflecting a nuanced mold texture than TPEs because LSR exhibits a low viscosity that allows it to flow more easily across the entire mold and into complex geometries.

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H4 Chemical Resistance

• Exposure to chemicals can cause changes in weight, volume and pliability that degrade TPEs and LSR to the point of failure. The type of chemicals your product will encounter and length of exposure is key to determining which material composition will respond the best. It is always sound practice to test your material choices for chemical resistance under actual service conditions to ensure performance.
• LSR will generally withstand high levels of exposure to cleaning and disinfecting chemicals, but is susceptible to attacks by concentrated solvents (gasoline, mineral spirits) and acids (sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, citric acid found in car batteries, sodas and juices).¹
• Adding filler to LSR will reduce swell caused by chemical exposure, but formulating with too much filler can negatively affect other properties of the material that may be desirable. Fluorosilicones exhibit little swell without the need for fillers, but comes at a price premium.
• With a diverse range of formulations on the market today, TPEs exhibit a wide range of resistance to chemicals. Many have been formulated to resist particular chemicals, so you are likely to find a TPE option that will work well in your scenario. Bear in mind, thermoplastic properties of TPEs mean that chemical resistance is most likely to worsen as temperature is raised coleparmer.com/Chemical-Resistance