Development of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) Powder Slush Material for Interior Parts

Industrial Synthetic Methods for Rubbers. 8. Polyurethane Elastomers

“…The solution process is applied to the production of TPU in finely particulate (powder) form. Two solution processes have been deployed industrially: "aqueous suspension polymerisation" [6,13], which synthesises the polyurethane in water, and "non-aqueous dispersion polymerisation" [14], which is conducted in an organic solvent of low solvency towards polyurethanes. Both methods are said to allow the synthesis of TPUs with a particle size of several hundred micron order difficult to achieve industrially by conventional means, and to enable control of particle size.…”

“…On completion of the polymerisation reaction, the product is obtained via dewatering and drying. The TPU produced by this method is used primarily in powder slush casting and toner binder applications, and reportedly comprises perfectly spherical particles of around 150 mm [6,13].…”

Investigation of the wear and friction profile of TPU-based polymers at different infill ratios

“…TPUs have excellent elastic properties and high endurance against corrosion, humidity, and oil, and they exhibit a great absorbance capability to noise and vibrations, biocompatibility, and chemical resistance [20,21]. These superior features make popular TPUs in health care and sensor applications [22,23], automotive [24][25][26], agri-food, and military industries [21]. Recently, the demand for TPUs has increased in the industry because they are thermoplastic materials, elastomers, coatings, adhesives, or foams [27].…”

“…In another study, TPU powder slush was proposed to be used instead of PVC for interior parts such as instrument panels and door trims of an automobile. The results show that samples produced from TPU powder slush present appropriate moldability, material properties, and part performance [25]. Atiqah et al studied hybrid composites prepared by palm/glass/thermoplastic.…”