DuPont Co. and Solvay Engineered Polymers each are pitching new thermoplastic vulcanizate materials.
Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont will commercialize a copolyester-based TPV early next year, said market development manager James Pike. The material - described as an engineering TPV - consists of vulcanized rubber in a thermoplastic matrix, Pike said at TPE Topcon 2003 in Akron.
The product should compete with thermoset rubber, especially in automotive, where potential applications include body plugs and under-the-hood hoses. Outside automotive, the ETPVs can be used in industrial hoses or soft-touch applications.
Pike said no selling price has been set for the material, which will be made in Sarnia, Ontario.
Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Solvay is promoting new Advanced Process TPVs, which offer improved performance and colorability. The materials are naturally white, while traditional TPVs are black.
The materials meet automotive specifications and also can meet under-the-hood requirements, according to Solvay research scientist Charlie Reid. Color, ultraviolet-light protection and viscosity can be customized in the products, which are being produced in Mansfield, Texas.
