TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) is a thermoplastic elastomer with excellent elasticity, weatherability, chemical resistance and other properties, so it is widely used in the field of raw materials for chemical production. This article will introduce the manufacturing method of TPE.
I. Raw material preparation
The manufacture of TPE requires the preparation of the following raw materials:
1. Base resin: The base resin of TPE mainly includes SEBS, SBS, etc. These resins have good thermal stability and mechanical properties.
2. Softeners: the role of softeners is to adjust the hardness and fluidity of TPE, commonly used softeners are naphthenic oils, paraffin oils and so on.
3. Fillers: Fillers can improve the strength and hardness of TPE, commonly used fillers are calcium carbonate, talcum powder and so on.
4. Functional additives: According to the different application requirements of TPE, different functional additives can be added, such as antioxidant, anti-ultraviolet agent and so on.
Two, mixing process
Mixing is the process of mixing the base resin, softener, filler and functional additives together according to a certain ratio, usually using a compactor or open kneader for mixing. The mixing process needs to pay attention to the following points:
1. Control the order and speed of feeding to ensure that the material is fully mixed.
2. Control the mixing temperature and time to prevent the material from overheating or over-oxidation.
3. Adjust the formula and process parameters according to the requirements of the product to ensure product quality.
3. Pelletizing process
The materials after mixing need to be pelletized for subsequent processing and use. Pelletizing process can be carried out by extruder or pelletizer, the specific process is as follows:
1. Add the mixed material into the extruder and extrude it through the screw.
2. The extruded material is cooled by means of water tank or air-cooling to solidify the molding.
3. Use the pelletizer to cut the cooled material into pellets of certain length.
Four, post-treatment process
The TPE pellets after pelletizing need to be post-treated to further improve its quality and stability. Post-treatment process includes the following aspects:
1. drying: TPE granules for drying to remove the moisture and volatiles, to improve the stability of the product.
2. Sieving: Sieving the dried TPE granules to remove the impurities and defective products to ensure product quality.
3. Packing: Pack the sieved TPE granules for storage and transportation.
All in all, the manufacture of TPE needs to go through a number of links such as raw material preparation, mixing process, granulation process and post-treatment process, etc. Each link needs to strictly control the process parameters and product quality to ensure that the final product has excellent performance and stability.
