One, overview

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) is a cross between a rubber and thermal plastic plastic properties of polymer materials, has the dual nature of rubber and plastics and broad application characteristics. At present TPE consumption structure, the main varieties is styrene (TPS), olefin (TPO) and polyurethane (TPU). Global TPE consumption has reached 220 million tons about, our country has reached 42 million tons, China has become one of the countries with the fastest growing global demand for TPE.

.TPU different backbone macromolecules (TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer) is composed of isocyanate curing agent), polyether or polyester polyol (composition of soft segment structure) and small molecule polyol or amine) as chain extender agent (hard segment structure) as the main composition of the diblock copolymer. Mining with different varieties of raw materials curing agent and polyol and chain extension agent can be synthesized variety, performance, processing a variety of, uses a wide range of TPU products made from high modulus of special plastics, but also can be made of high elastic rubber, can be made into a film, also can be made of fiber, which is currently the TPE can only do a variety.

TPU has high strength, high elasticity, high wear resistance and high yield and excellent mechanical properties such as flexibility, with oil resistance, solvent resistance and resistance properties of general chemicals. The TPU has the characteristics of multi purpose.

In recent years in the world brought about a TPU heat, which led to the attention of the event:

Acquisition of the United States Noveon (NOVEN) Company (1) the United States of America Lubrizol LUBRIZOL company. Noveon is world-renowned TPU manufacturers, especially in TPU high-end products such as: medical film, spandex and special pipe etc., in the global share $10 billion TPU potential market advantage. Lubrizol to 18.4 billion acquisition of Noveon, the stock market in the United States caused strong reaction, the wall street this acquisition gave a high evaluation, the acquisition of posterior Lubrizol shares a road climbs up from $25 soared to $64.

(2) the German Bayer (Bayer) company to acquire the Taiwan excellent company

Taiwan and (Ure-Tech Co., Ltd. is China Taiwan well-known TPU manufacturers. In China, occupies larger TPU market share in 2005 in Taiwan and TPU products sales to $0.55 million. German Bayer is a global well-known PU raw materials and products of large multinational companies, the TPU products is the company's strengths, 2005 BayerTPU product sales for 1.92 billion euro.Bayer mergers and acquisitions and, TPU market in the Asia Pacific region will be greatly enhanced.

(3) foreign Multi-National Corporation in the mainland set off TPU investment fever

The United States has built an annual output of 5000 tons of TPU production line in Songjiang, Shanghai (a period) is mainly used for the production of TPU films and other high-end products, the two phase will be expanded to 10 thousand t/a.

Germany BASF in Shanghai Pudong has an annual output of 5000t production line, which is mainly used for domestic production of melt spinning spandex with TPU slice.

(4) Chinese TPU set off heat capacity expansion

Yantai Wanhua Polyurethane Co., Ltd. the TPU production capacity has reached 2 million T / A, is currently the largest manufacturer of TPU. Baoding, Hebei has been built with an annual output of 1 million t/aTPU production line. Jinjiang, Fujian has built an annual production 7000t/a production line. Jiangsu Nantong proposed million ton TPU production line. Shanghai Lejoin have been expanding production into 6000t / a production line.

Taiwan three Huang, high tripod, Risheng, Taiwan funded enterprises, have also in mainland China expansion TPU production line. At present domestic TPU has formed products in mainland and Taiwan products, products in Europe and America, the three pillars of the situation.

The rapid development of China TPU has become TPE and pue (polyurethane elastomer) one of the highlights of the 2006 global TPU consumption amount is about 26.5 million tons. The 6 million T of the United States, Western Europe 8 million T, Japan 1.5 million T, 11 million tons of China. China TPU consumption amount is close to half of global consumption.

2006 China TPU main consumption areas: which shoe 4.24 million T, adhesive 1.6 million tons, 1.5 million tons of pipe, film of 1 million T, synthesis leather 0.78 million T, melt spinning spandex 0.4 million tons, industrial wheel 0.42 million T, cable 0.36 million T, other 0.5 million tons currently TPU production capacity in China has reached 12 million T / A, Taiwan China TPU production capacity has reached 4 million tons per year. China is the global TPU largest manufacturing and consumption centers.

Two, the main application areas of TPU

1, TPU material: TPU shoes accounted for to currently about 40% of the market share of domestic TPU PU shoe has the advantages: lightweight, comfortable, good elasticity, multiple varieties, convenient processing and recycling is the development direction of the Pu shoes. Including sports shoes, hiking shoes, ski shoes, golf shoes, field shoes, skating shoes, shoes, decorations, air cushion, wherein the aerating pad or liquid filled cushion, followed by the bottom and the shoe outsole, transparent upper, signs, and so on.
China's shoe manufacturers mainly concentrated in Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang. Guangzhou, Jinjiang, Wenzhou, Chengdu is currently the four big shoes.

2, TPU material: TPU tube accounted for to the current domestic TPU downstream market of about 20%. The TPU hose is main product in the form of.TPU hose has good elasticity, abrasion resistance, oil resistance, soft, aging resistant performance.TPU hose according to the different uses can make low pressure hose and steel wire or fiber reinforced high-pressure hose. Such as pipe, gas pipe, oil pipe, the air pressure pipe, TPU hose can be widely used in automobiles, motorcycles, engineering machinery, petrochemical equipment, hydraulic equipment, pneumatic equipment, cable sheaths, instrumentation, food equipment, aircraft, tanks and other field.

TPU pipe can also be made of a variety of uses and a variety of specifications of the bar.

3, TPU film: TPU film is unmatched by other plastics and rubber with high strength, high toughness, wear-resisting, oil resistant, cold, aging resistance, environmental protection, non-toxic and can be degradation and other excellent characteristics; but also has waterproof breathable, windproof, cold, antibacterial, anti ultraviolet, and other excellent performance, application in many industrial and civil fields. Is a green film, is to replace the PVC film is the ideal substitute.

Table (1) comparison of TPU thin film with other polymeric materials

From the table (1) it can be known that: TPU film synthesis performance, obviously superior to the general general plastic and rubber production of the film.

Main application areas:

(1) shoes: TPU film and a variety of fabric composite, made with waterproof and breathable fabric upper function, but also can be made into decorative fabrics. Such films generally use salivation equipment manufacturing.

(2) clothing: TPU film and a variety of fabric composite, can be made with high elasticity, high strength and the function of waterproof and moisture permeable kinds of composite fabric, etc., which are widely used to make casual clothes, sunscreen suits, underwear, coats, coats, T-Shirts, sportswear, etc. fabric film.TPU polyester, knitted fabric composite, can be made with the antiviral, breathable, antibacterial, soft function of biological protective clothing, in the hospital has extensive application value. This film generally adopt salivation method manufacturing.

(3) industry: TPU film used for fireproof, heat insulation, insulation materials. Packaging and decoration, food packaging; coverings, the balloon advertising; waterproof stickers, gasket compression, transmission belt, insulation boards, and so on.
(4) laminated safety glass: TPU instead of the traditional PVB as the middle layer of safety glass, widely used in high-rise building glass curtain wall and automotive safety glass.

(5) other: medical transfusion bag, replace the current PVC with toxic blood transfusion bag. Women's bra straps; bank chip.
At present, the domestic TPU film market annual consumption of about 10 thousand T, high-grade uses TPU film mainly imported.
4, TPU sealing composite material: TPU sealing composite material mainly uses production inflatable sac body. Inflatable sac body has been widely used in national defense and civil fields. This kind of material is by TPU and fiber fabric composite and. The material than ordinary rubber and PVC with unparalleled tensile strength. Excellent mechanical properties such as: tear strength, wear resistance and resistance to low temperature flexural property. Also has good resistance to oil, aging resistant performance is a kind of environmental protection material.

Table (two) comparison of the properties of TPU composites and other rubber composites

From the table (two), it is known that the comprehensive performance of TPU composite is better than that of other rubber
The performance of sealing TPU composite the main application areas: (1) an inflatable mattress and medical bedsore mattress. (2) massage chair bag material: the field of this material has been used throughout. (3) operations at sea with a rubber boats and inflatable boats capsule material: the field has gradually replaced PVC and chloroprene rubber. (4) hoisting airbag material: TPU material tensile strength for the rubber material of 3 times the left and right sides; wear rubber 3-10 times, so use this material hoisting gasbag, can withstand higher weight and pressure, has great practical value. (5) military and civilian airship envelope materials: high performance TPU is composed of a bag body materials, the airship and vitality has a very important role.

Sealing TPU composite materials can also be made of waterproof, breathable fabric, software storage container materials, industrial protective clothing and industrial and transportation belt and so on.

TPU sealing composite materials, in some areas of the country has been applied in the military field has a greater future.
5, other: (1) roller: including industrial roller, elevator pulley, household roller sports equipment, medical equipment wheel, wheel toy etc. (2) synthetic leather: including TPU shoe leather, leather ball, space leather, garment leather, luggage leather (3) industrial activities: including adhesive, sealing parts, trim, screen printing, braided sieve plate, conveyor belt (4) cable: including power cable, communication cable, submarine and petroleum exploration cable, sheath, an optical fiber and a sheath etc. (5) trademark, animal tag.

Three, TPU development prospects

1, the application of TPU in China's auto industry

Automobile industry is used for automotive body in various components of the TPU future important developments in the field.TPU. Using the cushioning of the TPU, toughness, wear resistance can be made of bushings, bearings, bushings, shock absorbers and cushions etc.. The use of TPU elasticity, bending resistance, fatigue resistance, oil resistance can be made into a tube and jacket, such as pipeline and cable insulation jacket, transmission belt and a thin wall tank. The sealing function, anti cutting can be made of washer, plate, gasket and safety glass. Stabilized by the size, high impact strength and good coating properties, made of bumper, dashboard, door panels and airbags.

At present, the application of TPU in China's automotive industry, the annual consumption of about 10 thousand T. In 2010, China's auto output reached 10 million vehicles, car ownership reached 50 million. By 2010, China's auto industry demand for TPU is roughly
3-4 million T. with
With the automobile industry to light weight, energy conservation, comfort and safety of the direction of development, TPU in the car will be more and more large, more and more broad application prospects.

2, the application of TPU in textile industry

TPU use in the textile industry is very wide, except for shoes, synthetic leather and TPU thin film composite fabric, spandex fiber used in the manufacture of TPU chips is an important field. Spandex (Lycra) is a kind of elastic fiber, and cotton, wool, acrylic, polyester blended yarn, can be made into tights. Sports clothes, underwear, sweaters, socks and other elastic trousers, elastic cloth, is a kind of high-grade chemical fiber material has been popular at home and abroad. The manufacturing process of spandex mainly of two kinds: dry and melt spinning, melt spinning is dry with no toxic solvent, low manufacturing cost advantages, is the future development direction of spandex the.TPU section is basic raw material for the manufacture of melt spun spandex, the current domestic TPU chip basically by the German BASF company monopoly, the price is expensive, the price of 50 thousand yuan /t. with the TPU technology unceasing development and the consummation in China, domestic TPU chip will be realized. The next few years , China TPU chip market demand will reach 5 million tons per year. It is reported that China is set off a stream of TPU chip and melt spun spandex investment heat. (the 20d melt spinning spandex price 120000 yuan / ton) which will promote the rapid development of China's textile and chemical fiber industry.

3, TPU application in the medical device industry

TPU material has good biological compatibility and blood compatibility with human tissue. (anti coagulation performance) and TPU also has the following characteristics and advantages: (1) excellent transparency (for observation) (2) excellent anti mildew, anti fungal and anti algae (3) low extraction (better than PVC) (4) no allergic reaction (5) for ray, ethylene oxide and dry heat sterilization. Therefore TPU has been used as an excellent medical materials. According to their use can be made of artificial heart valve, artificial skin, artificial lung, heart pacemakers, tracheal intubation, and catheter guide catheter, catheter, communicating pipe, plug valve, anti puncture film, Department of orthopedics, orthosis, bandage, corset. The medical grade TPU price 100 thousand yuan -20 yuan /t.TPU in the medical device application prospects.

4, the application of TPU in tire industry

Traditional rubber tire production process is very complex, equipment investment is also large, production process and long. Recently a company in the United States in the production of TPU tire completely abolished the traditional process, by rotating injection molding process, claim 3 minutes can produce a new tire. If built 100 million / a tire production line investment need to be $500 million, than the traditional crafts and investment saving, this tire technology has greatly enhanced the efficiency of production, which costs will be reduced. This process once the technology is mature, the realization of the industrialization production, will be the tire industry a revolution.TPU also used in the manufacture of retreaded tires.

5, TPU new materials and new technologies

In recent years at home and abroad of TPU Blend technology research is very active, namely in the TPU matrix doped with compatible cheap plastic, so as to reduce the cost, improve the special performance requirements to. As an elastomeric polymer modified TPU agents can also be, with excellent comprehensive properties of the blends is obtained.

(1) TPU/PVC alloy
TPU/PVC alloy can be improved obviously PVC elongation (can replace toxic DOP plasticizer) expanded the PVC applications. Recently reported reaction blending technology of preparing alloy TPU/PVC. First the PVC dissolved in the preparation of TPU raw materials diols and then joined the isocyanate by in situ polymerization and formation TPU/PVC, TPU/PVC performance is superior to the general blend.

(2) TPU/POM (Ju Jiaquan) alloy
TPU/POM alloy, can significantly improve the impact strength of the POM gap, thus expanding the field of application of POM.

(3) TPU/PC (polycarbonate) alloy
PC can improve the toughness, stress cracking resistance, notch sensitivity, solvent resistance and chemical resistance of TPU/PC. Meanwhile, the molding process temperature of PC can be reduced, and the application field of PC is enlarged.

(4) TPU/ABS alloy
The TPU/ABS alloy can improve the impact strength and wear resistance of the ABS. Dow Di company adopts alloy TPU/ABS for automobile bumper and textile machinery accessories.

(5) TPU/PBT alloy
The tensile yield strength and notched impact strength of PBT can be improved obviously by TPU/PBT alloy.

(6) TPU/TPO alloy
Japan's Honda motor company has successfully developed into TPU/TPO alloy material, which improved the wear and tear resistance of TPO, has been successfully used in the car floor.

(7) IPN-TPU new technology
In TPU manufacturing process, join a reactive component, after thermoforming and by after ripening produce local crosslinking, the formation of TPU interpenetrating polymer network IPN-TPU so as to improve the TPU some special performance requirements.

Four, conclusion

1, global is set off a surge of TPU thermal and mergers and acquisitions in China, investment hot. At present domestic TPU has formed products in mainland, Taiwan products, products in Europe and America, the three pillars of the situation.

2, the domestic TPU production capacity of about 120 thousand t/a, about 110 thousand t/a consumption, the Chinese mainland is the world's largest TPU manufacturing and consumption centers.

3, the domestic TPU major consumer areas: shoes, pipe, adhesive, film, industrial roller, melt spinning spandex, synthetic leather and cables.

4, automobile industry, textile industry (melt spinning spandex, TPU sealing composite materials), the medical industry and tire industry is fruit of TPU future development direction.

5, TPU and plastic, rubber and other elastic body composition of the alloy, will be to reduce the cost of TPU, improve the performance of the alloy, expanding the field of application of an effective technical way, it is worth to strengthen the development.

6, TPU alloy in situ polymerization and mutual wear network (IPN-TPU) new technology to improve the performance of TPU, expand the use of a larger practical value, it is worth exploring research.