Materials...
rubbers & elastomers

Top Product

• Highly durable
• Chemical resistant

Melt-processible rubber (MPR).

Superior durability, chemical resistance and weatherability make Alcryn a preferred non-slip grip material for quality tools and appliances in a wide variety of professional, industrial and consumer applications. Alcryn MPR stands up to cleaning agents and the body's natural oils, as well as corrosion and UV deterioration, making it an ideal choice for harsh environments. This material has been specified for numerous hand-held product applications including drills, screwdrivers, sanders, grinders, chainsaws, tractor parts, lawn mower parts, leaf- and snow-blower parts, flashlights and steam irons. Alcryn MPR can replace thermoset rubber in applications under 257°F, and it requires lower injection pressures. Advanced Polymer Alloys, 3521 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19810. 888-663-6005. Circle 700.

Recycled composite. A material called Rumber makes polymer products stronger, more impact resistant and long lasting, and helps to protect the environment. The granular product is made using ground tire rubber, mixed with polyethylene or polypropylene. This material can be used by itself or added to other compounds to achieve more strength as an impact modifier. Planned applications include highway signs, buckets, livestock feeders and more. Rumber Materials Inc, 621 W Division St, Muenster, TX 76252. 877-RUMBER1. Circle 701.

Thermoplastic rubber. Geolast rubber has been specified for a two-shot injection-molded fuel filler grommet used in the Cadillac Seville. This grommet is a lower weight alternative to the flanged metal support it replaces, and it has excellent fuel resistance without swelling or losing its sealing properties. With a specific gravity of 1.0, more parts can be created per kilogram of material and parts weigh less, allowing savings in time and production costs. Advanced Elastomer Systems, 388 S Main St, Akron, OH 44311. 330-849-5000. Circle 703.

Soft-touch thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). Available in many hardnesses, these Tekbond TPEs can be overmolded directly onto most rigid thermoplastics used for rapidly proliferating "soft-touch" grips and multi-component parts in appliance, automotive and other markets. Tekbond is derived from styrene-butylene-ethylene-styrene (SEBS) and will adhere to many dissimilar plastics, including difficult polar substrates such as polycarbonate and nylon. Teknor Apex, 505 Central Ave, Pawtucket, RI 02861. 401-725-8000. Circle 705.

Thermoplastic elastomer. Versaflex TPE was used as a key component in an award-winning product, the Jazz Band industrial hearing protector from Moldex-Metric Inc. The Jazz Band features a fluorescent green Versaflex TPE alloy overmolded onto a pearlized blue polycarbonate base unit. This TPE provides enhanced aesthetic features and improves the product's performance by offering noise and vibration dampening during use in industrial environments. GLS Corp, 740 Industrial Dr, Cary, IL 60013. 847-516-8300. Circle 707.

Damped TPE materials. The VersaDamp 2000 series is a family of vibration- and shock-isolation TPE materials whose formulations can be adjusted to optimize damping performance or durometer or both. These materials eliminate the need to make tradeoffs in damping and operating temperature range. They feature durometers ranging from 35 Shore A to 75 Shore A, and have widely varying energy control capabilities as well. E-A-R Specialty Composites, 7911 Zionsville Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46268. 317-692-1111. Circle 709.

PVC extrusion compound. Novablend 8888, a new flame retardant PVC compound for foamed profile extrusion, produces a lightweight, weatherable structure having a uniform cellular core and high-gloss skin. The extruded, blown compound ranges in density from 0.55 to 0.65, equivalent to that of lighter woods. The PVC blend offers extreme chemical resistance and weatherability and can carry a fire retardancy of UL94-V0. Novatec Plastics Corp, 275 Industrial Way W, Eatontown, NJ 07724. 800-PVC-NOVA. Circle 711.

Thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds. These new TPE compounds for extruded power-cord insulation, jacketing, and injection molded plugs provide more flexibility at temperature extremes plus chemical resistance and greater colorability than conventional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) elastomers. Applications range from home appliances to lawn and garden tools, adding improved cords in many colors. Teknor Apex, 505 Central Ave, Pawtucket, RI 02861. 401-725-8000. Circle 702.

Viscoelastic damping material. To meet the demand for new damping systems, this company has developed Sorbogel, a new damping material. A major benefit of this material is its ability to isolate a system from unwanted vibration and resonance by lowering the natural frequency of the system. Sorbogel also is well suited for anti-vibration gloves and tool wraps. Sorbothane is recognized for its shock and vibration isolation characteristics. Sorbothane Inc, 2144 State Rte 59, Kent, OH 44240. 800-838-3960. Circle 704.