Santoprene
Encyclopedia
Santoprene is a thermoplastic elastomer
(TPE). Santoprene™ is a registered trade mark of Exxon Mobil. It is the mixture of in-situ cross linking of EPDM rubber
and polypropylene
. It is supplied as pre-compound material which is able to process by conventional thermoplastic tools. Santoprene is a thermoplastic compound that is processed in much the same way as any type of plastic. The difference is that Santoprene possesses the same levels of flexibility and durability that are commonly found with natural rubber compounds. Because of the longer life of santoprene in both extreme hot and cold environments, the material is often preferred over the use of rubber.
Thermoplastic elastomer
Thermoplastic elastomers , sometimes referred to as thermoplastic rubbers, are a class of copolymers or a physical mix of polymers which consist of materials with both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties...
(TPE). Santoprene™ is a registered trade mark of Exxon Mobil. It is the mixture of in-situ cross linking of EPDM rubber
EPDM rubber
EPDM rubber , a type of synthetic rubber, is an elastomer which is characterized by a wide range of applications. The E refers to ethylene, P to propylene, D to diene and M refers to its classification in ASTM standard D-1418. The M class includes rubbers having a saturated chain of the...
and polypropylene
Polypropylene
Polypropylene , also known as polypropene, is a thermoplastic polymer used in a wide variety of applications including packaging, textiles , stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components, and polymer banknotes...
. It is supplied as pre-compound material which is able to process by conventional thermoplastic tools. Santoprene is a thermoplastic compound that is processed in much the same way as any type of plastic. The difference is that Santoprene possesses the same levels of flexibility and durability that are commonly found with natural rubber compounds. Because of the longer life of santoprene in both extreme hot and cold environments, the material is often preferred over the use of rubber.
Properties
Its compound is available in hardness grade from 35 Shore A to 60 Shore D. It has good compression set at room temperature and moderate performance at high temperature up to 135 °C. Service temperature is 135 °C (permanent) and 150 °C (temporary). Environmental aging resistance, electrical properties, and liquid resistance are about the same as EPDM and it can replace EPDM in certain applications. It is commonly used in gaskets.Uses
The material is used for the blades on training knives, swords, and bayonets and also as knife handles because of the superior qualities which allows it to be molded into the blade's tang.External links
- Santoprene Chemical Resistance at vp-scientific.com