I. TPU is a new type of environmentally friendly material.

Materials are the substances humans use to manufacture objects, devices, components, machines, or other products, and they form the foundation upon which human survival and development depend. Materials can be classified into traditional materials (also known as basic materials) and new materials (also known as advanced materials). Since the beginning of the 21st century, new materials have experienced rapid development, with polymer materials being one prominent category. TPU is a type of polymer material and represents a new kind of environmentally friendly material.

II.     The hardness of TPU is adjusted by varying the proportion of its hard segments.

TPU is a material containing –NH–CO–O– groups in its molecular structure. Long-chain diols and isocyanates form the soft segments, while short-chain diols and isocyanates constitute the hard segments. Many of TPU’s properties depend on the type of long-chain diol used; its hardness is adjusted by varying the proportion of hard segments. Its resistance to photo‑aging can be improved by adding light stabilizers, and it also depends on whether the isocyanate is aromatic or aliphatic.

III.     TPU is gradually replacing it in some fields.

With social development and technological advances, TPU has gained increasing popularity due to its superior performance, versatile processing methods, and eco-friendly attributes. It has experienced robust growth across numerous sectors—including consumer goods, sporting equipment, toys, electronics, industrial applications, and decorative materials. For example, it partially replaces nitrile rubber in the production of sealing rings, substitutes for PVC and PE in wire and cable manufacturing, takes the place of cast polyurethane (CPU) in making elevator wheels and scooter wheels, and is spun into spandex fibers. However, TPU brands and grades vary widely in quality; therefore, a thorough evaluation and justification are essential when selecting TPU to ensure optimal cost-effectiveness.

IV.     TPU Product Categories

1. Classification by Soft Segment Raw Material

TPUs are classified according to their soft-segment polyol, including polyester-based, polyether-based, polycarbonate-based, and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene types.

The commonly used TPU types are mainly polyester-based and polyether-based. Polyester-based TPU exhibits high tensile strength, tear strength, hardness, and other mechanical properties; polyether-based TPU is primarily PTMEG-type, featuring a low glass transition temperature, good hydrolysis resistance and mold resistance, as well as favorable mechanical properties.
 

2. Classification by the isocyanate used

TPU is classified according to the type of isocyanate used into aromatic (not resistant to yellowing) and aliphatic (resistant to yellowing), among others.

V.     TPU application areas

1. Applications in garment and apparel accessories:  

TPU has been widely used in apparel and fashion due to its environmental friendliness, wear resistance, excellent elasticity, pleasant hand feel, and good breathability.

For example: transparent elastic bands (also known as shoulder straps or stretch bands), women’s shoulder straps (which can be used on lingerie or fashion apparel for a sheer, invisible effect or as decoration), TPU waistbands (available in both single-extrusion and overmolded types), clothing labels, and trim strips for down jackets and other fashion items, among others.

  2. Applications in automotive components:

TPU exhibits excellent resilience, cut resistance, weatherability, and oil resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of automotive components. These include shift lever handles, bushings and washers for various couplings, connectors for wire harnesses, spiral retractable cables, cable sheaths, toothed belts, protective sleeves and gaskets for steering tie rods, suspension joint hinges, hydraulic and pneumatic seals, suspension diaphragms, shock-absorbing diaphragms, shock absorbers, spring limiters, and more. Additionally, TPU can be compounded with other plastics or rubbers for use in automotive parts such as bumpers, instrument panels, airbags, and dust covers.

3. Applications in shoe materials:
            Applications of TPU in footwear: sports shoes, hiking boots, snowshoes, golf shoes, combat boots, roller skates, and other shoe components such as decorative panels, air cushions, inflatable or fluid-filled midsoles, as well as edge trim, heel counters, outsoles, transparent uppers, and labels. TPU is favored by a wide range of footwear manufacturers primarily because of its excellent properties.
 

(1) Wide hardness range: By adjusting the ratios of the various reactive components in TPU, products with different hardness levels can be obtained; moreover, as hardness increases, the resulting materials retain excellent elasticity and wear resistance.

(2) High mechanical strength: TPU products exhibit excellent load-bearing capacity, impact resistance, cold resistance, and shock absorption. Moreover, even at –35°C, TPU retains good elasticity, flexibility, and other physical properties.

(3) Excellent processability: TPU can be processed using various methods, such as injection molding, extrusion, and calendering. Moreover, when co-processed with certain polymeric materials, TPU can yield polymer alloys with complementary properties.

4. Applications in pipes and hoses:

Due to its softness, excellent tensile strength, impact resistance, and resistance to high and low temperatures, TPU hose is widely used in China as a pneumatic and hydraulic hose for aircraft, tanks, automobiles, motorcycles, machine tools, and other mechanical equipment, as well as for medical tubing, coating hoses, and conveying lines.

               5. Applications in thin films:

TPU film possesses superior properties—such as high strength, high toughness, wear resistance, oil resistance, cold resistance, aging resistance, environmental friendliness, non-toxicity, and biodegradability—that are unmatched by other plastics or rubbers. It also offers excellent performance characteristics, including waterproof yet breathable, windproof, cold-resistant, antibacterial, and UV-resistant qualities. Consequently, it can be used across numerous industrial and consumer applications, making it a green film and an ideal replacement for PVC film.
 

It can be widely used in: weapon storage laminates, field tents, emergency ice packs, life jackets, inflatable boats, etc.; air parachutes, waterbeds, wetsuits, snowsuits, swimwear, airbags, sportswear, slimming garments, inflatable sleeping bags, etc.; pipe‑joining tape, clothing for sewer‑cleaning operations, raincoats, trench coats, winter jackets, field uniforms, sanitary underpants, linings, T‑shirts, and sportswear—both as fabrics and lining materials; mattresses, ice packs, bandages, plasma bags, waterproof yet breathable garments and hoods, watch straps, and more.

6. Applications in wires and cables:
              TPU offers tear resistance, abrasion resistance, and flexural durability; its ability to withstand high and low temperatures is crucial for cable performance. Consequently, in the Chinese market, TPU is used in high‑grade cables such as control and power cables as a protective jacket material for intricately designed cables. It finds broad application in power cables, equipment wires, communication cables, sheaths for subsea and oil‑exploration cables, and inner and outer jackets for optical fibers.

7. Applications in other fields:

Applications of TPU in other fields: swivel casters, handles, watch straps, various annular pipelines, round belts, V-belts, synchronous belts, anti-slip belts, TPU-coated woven tapes, transparent elastic rings, and more. In short, the uses of TPU materials are even more extensive than we imagine, and its future development prospects are promising.