2. Properties

Thanks to its many physical properties, TPU outperforms virtually all other thermoplastic elastomers that can be used for delicate applications (table 1 ).

• Hardness

TPU can be produced in a range of hardnesses, from rigid materials (e.g. 95 Shore A) to very soft-touch materials with no relation to the usual plastic feel [e.g. 75 Shore A (55 Shore D)]. By varying the components, the order in which they are introduced into the mixture, the mixing order and the proportions of the molecular components (for example, by increasing or decreasing the proportion of polyalcohol, diisocyanate and chain extender), different polymers with different...