Nextech materials

Pearlthane TPU11 grades are high-performance polyester grades based on Merquinsa’s proprietary polycaprolactone (PCL) copolyester technology.
They offer a unique combination of key benefits over standard polyester TPU, including.
- Significant lower part cost because of intrinsic lower density and faster processability.
- Superior performance due to its hydrolysis chemical, abrasion and scratch resistance and low temperature properties.

Injection Molding
Pearlthane 11T80 (82 shore A)	Soft, plasticizer-free, high-flow TPU grade.
Pearlthane 11T85 (86 shore A)	High-performance, fast cycling, high flow injection molding grade. A market reference, recommended for the most demanding industrial applications.
Pearlthane 11T85UV (86 shore A)	A stabilized version of Pearlthane 11T85. Ideal for 2K molding applications onto polar substrates. Typically used in automotive interior and consumer applications. Meets key OEM automotive specifications.
Pearlthane 11T93 (93 shore A)	Very fast cycling injection molding grade, offering easy mold release, lower density and abrasion resistance. Performance grade typically used for automotive, engineering parts or animal ID tags.
Pearlthane 11H94 (95 shore A)	Special seal polycaprolactone copolyester-based TPU grade offering very fast cycling, low compression set and chemical resistance.
Pearlthane 11T95P (95 shore A)	Fast cycling, low base color, transparent Injection molding grade offering outstanding abrasion and hydrolysis resistance and tensile properties. Recommended for transparent sport shoe components, animal ID tags and high-performance technical parts.
Pearlthane 11T60D (58 shore D)	Polycaprolactone copolyester grades offering high tensile strength, abrasion resistance and fast cycling properties for demanding ear tags, footwear cleats and industrial applications.
Pearlthane 11T65D (64 shore D)	Polycaprolactone copolyester grades offering high tensile strength, abrasion resistance and fast cycling properties for demanding ear tags, footwear cleats and industrial applications.
Pearlthane 11T75D (77 shore D)	Special very hard grade designed for metal replacement, injection molding and compounding applications with outstanding abrasion resistance and mechanical properties.
Pearlthane D11T92S (92 shore A)	High-performance polycaprolactone copolyster-based TPU grade designed for hydraulic seals with outstanding compression set.
Pearlthane D11T95S (95 shore A)	High-performance TPU grade designed for hydraulic seals, with similar features to D11H92S, but with a different hardness.

Extrusion
Pearlthane 11T80 (82 shore A)	Soft, plasticizer-free, high-performance TPU with very good transparency and extrudability. Recommended for films, sheets, monofilaments, tubing or profiles.
Pearlthane 11T85E (86 shore A)	High-performance TPU grade with very good transparency, hydrolysis resistance and extrudability. A market reference for high-performance films, sheets, tubing or profiles. Food contact grades may be available upon request.
Pearlthane 11T92E (93 shore A)	High-performance TPU grade with very good transparency and extrudability. A market reference for films, sheets, tubing and profiles.
Pearlthane 11T98 (52 shore D)	Pneumatic tubing grade offering outstanding transparency along with cost performance due to its extrudability and lower density. Also used successfully for extruded sheets, profiles or belts.
Pearlthane 11H98 (52 shore D)	High speed, pneumatic tubing grade (opaque), meeting the most stringent OEM tubing market requirements for hydrolysis resistance, chemical resistance and kicking performance. This grade is based on Merquinsa’s TPU H technology for high-speed extrusion.

Melt Coating/Calendering
Pearlcoat Activa D118K (70 shore A)	Soft, low gloss, low fogging, special sheet extrusion grade. Aliphatic version available under Pearlcoat TPU Activa D198K. Both grades can be co-injected and co-extruded.

Series 15 - Polyether copolymer TPU Grades

The pearlthane TPU 15N series consists of special polyether copolymer TPU grades which find their use in specific applications such as long-term ear tags, elastic films or very transparent, clear sport and recreation applications. This series is not recommended for cable applications.

Some featured grades/applications of this series included:

Injection Molding and Extrusion - CLEAR
Pearlthane CLEAR 15N70 (72 shore A)	Soft, plasticizer-free, elastic TPU grade with unique clarity and good extrusion processability for films, profiles or tubes. This grade is also used for high-performance footwear components
Pearlthane CLEAR 15N80 (82 shore A)	Sports and recreation grades recommended because of their clear aesthetics, flexibility and low-temperature performance. Ideal for Injection molding and extrusion.
Pearlthane CLEAR 15N85 (85 shore A, UV)

Pearlthane CLEAR TPU combines outstanding transparency with high elasticity, low density, and very good hydrolysis resistance. CLEAR TPU resins are highly flexible and have very good impact resistance at low temperatures. They are especially designed for visible molded aesthetic components in footwear and sports equipment.

Injection Molding and Extrusion
Pearlthane 15N95UV (95 shore A)	Long-term animal identification tag grades with special UV protection, good hydrolysis resistance and fast cycling properties. Suitable for demanding outdoor applications.

Series 16- High performance Polyether TPU Grades

Calendering
Pearlcoat 161K (76 shore A)	Soft polyether calendering grade meeting new market demands for soft, plasticizer-free products.
Pearlcoat 165K (90 shore A)	Calendering grade featuring excellent processability, oil resistance, hydrolysis resistance and HF weldability.

Bio-Based TPU Grades

Designers from the sports, footwear, electronics and the automotive industry to name a few, can now move from TPU or TPE to Bio TPU by Merquinsa- a unique solution from Merquinsa awarded by Frost & Sullivan with the “Green Excellence Award of the Year.”

Bio TPU by Merquinsa is made with bio-based materials(plant based, 29-46% according to ASTM-D6866) with properties very similar to petroleum-based TPUs, offering outstanding flexibility and endurance.

Bio-based TPUs offer the same performance benefits as standard (petroleum-based) TPUs, such as abrasion and scratch resistance, transparency and outstanding mechanical properties. The automotive, footwear, electronics and sport industries have very strict quality requirements and will not sacrifice performance

Pearlthane ECO TPU has passed the most stringent automotive fogging and scratch resistance specifications. It can also be found in demanding sport applications where cold temperature flexibility and aesthetics are important requirements and it also meets tough UV and hydrolysis resistance specifications.

Injection Molding and Extrusion
Pearlthane ECO D12T80 (82 shore A)	Polyester-based Bio TPU by Merquinsa containing 42% of bio-based material according to ASTM-D6866. Suitable for injection molding and extrusion applications. Food contact grades may be available upon request.
Pearlthane ECO D12T85 (85 shore A)	Polyester-based Bio TPU by Merquinsa containing 46% of bio-based material according to ASTM-D6866. Suitable for injection molding and extrusion applications.
Pearlthane ECO D12T90 (91 shore A)	Polyester-based Bio TPU by Merquinsa containing 37% of bio-based material according to ASTM-D6866. Suitable for injection molding and extrusion applications. Food contact grades may be available upon request.
Pearlthane ECO D12T95 (95 shore A)	UV stabilized, polyester-based Bio TPU by Merquinsa containing 32% of bio-based material according to ASTM-6866. Suitable for injection molding and extrusion applications.
Pearlthane ECO D12T55D (55 shore D)	Polyester-based Bio TPU by Merquinsa containing 29% of bio-based material according to ASTM-D6866. Suitable for injection molding and extrusion applications.

Pearlbond TPU for solvent-free adhesives

TPU Grades for HMPUR

The basic purpose of the Pearlbond TPU grades is to modify some of the properties which are inherent to Reactive Hot Melts that are based on urethane pre- polymers. These crystalline TPU grades are typically used in the following industries: automotive( e.g. automotive interior parts), bookbinding, furniture (profile wrapping or edge bonding), textile, and footwear; as well as in various fixing adhesive applications.

Benefits of Pearlbond TPU in Reactive Hot Melts:

-Cost-saving formulation
-Increase green strength
-Regulation of setting time
-Regulation of open time
-Increase melt viscosity
-Increase specific adhesion to some substrates (polar groups).

Following are key Pearlbond TPU grades for these applications:

HMPUR
Pearlbond 501	High crystallization rate. Low quantity of polar groups. Low melt viscosity.
Pearlbond 520	Very high crystallization rate. Low quantity of polar groups. Medium/Low melt viscosity.
Pearlbond ECO D590	TPU with bio-based content of 75% determined according to ASTM-D6866. Extremely high crystallization rate and a very high thermoplasticity level.

TPU Grades for HOT MELT ADHENSIVES

Pearlbond TPU grades are aromatic crystalline TPUs (toluene free) used for Thermobonding (heat-sealing) processes, through which the adhesive is laid on a series of substrates, mostly fabrics, and then, treated with heat and Pressure so as to bond them. In some cases, these TPUs are applied after being ground into powder, via one of the usual methods: scatter coating, Paste coating, powder point coating, double dot coating or engraved rollers.
Key grades in this field are featured below:

Heat sealable fabrics
Pearlbond 106	High crystallization rate. Medium melting range. Medium hardness. High melt viscosity.
Pearlbond 123	Extremely high crystallization rate. Low melting range. High hardness. Low melt viscosity.
Pearlbond 125/H	High melting range. Low hardness. Good heat resistance. Dry cleaning resistance.

*Oeko-tex® compliant grades may be available upon request.

Another important application of the Pearlbond portfolio is the production of heat activated shoe counters and toe puffs. In this case, Pearlbond TPU supplied in pellet form can be applied by an extrusion process (T-die) or sintering. In the latter case, the TPU must be previously cryogenically ground. Some special grades are featured below:

Toe puffs and counters
Pearlbond 121	Extremely high crystallization rate. Low melting range. Low activation temperature. Very high hardness. Medium/ Low melt viscosity.
Pearlbond D180	Very high crystallization rate. Low melting range. Low/ Medium activation temperature. High hardness. High melt viscosity.
Pearlbond ECO D900	TPU with bio-based content of 75% determined according to ASTM-D6866. Extremely high crystallization rate and a very high thermoplasticity level. To be applied by extrusion or sintering process.

Pearlbond ECO D900 is made with bio-based materials, 75% determined according to ASTM-D6866
Data source:
Test report Beta Analytic Inc.

Pearlstick TPU for solvent-free adhesives

Pearlstick TPU grades have a key distinct feature: they are mainly crystalline polymers with strong properties at ambient temperature and a low melting point of the crystalline areas (50-60ºC). The different Pearlstick TPU families vary from each other mainly in their structures (different relation between hard and soft segments), their polyol types, and their different molecular weights. Some of their main general properties are described below and used to compare the different Pearlstick TPU families.

Crystallization rate and Thermoplasticity

The crystallization rate is the measurement of the time needed by a film of a TPU adhesive to reach its maximum values in the cooling period that follows its heat activation (measured by Merquinsa’s Standard MQSA Nº 12 A).

The thermoplasticity is the property of softening or melting under the effect of temperature. It is measured in terms of modulus of deformation (Mpa) in relation to temperature - in accordance to Merquinsa’ Standard MQSA Nº 68 A-, and is obtained by a “Modulus of dynamic mechanical tests.”

The graphic below shows crystallization rate and thermoplasticity of different Pearlstick TPU families:

Hot tack

By means of the tack tester device we can reproduce this property very well (for instance, the bonding of a shoe sole to the upper) by adjusting and studying production variables, such as: Activation temperature, time allowed before bonding, materials, bonding temperature and pressure.

In sole bonding, the adhesive used should have high hot tack so as to guarantee a perfect initial bonding, even at relatively low temperatures. Studies performed with some Pealstick® TPU grades are shown in the graph.

Peel strength versus Activation temperature

The optimum adhesive strength can be achieved at a given temperature of the adhesive film; therefore, to reach such a temperature is of vital importance. The graphics below show the peel strength and activation temperature of different Pearlstick TPU families:

Solubility

The mechanism by which a linear TPU changes from solid to liquid form in the presence of a solvent when a solution is prepared, can be described as follows:

Firstly, the TPU swells and then, progressively, due to the absorption of the solvent by the solid, it takes the aspect of a viscous solution, and a homogeneous solution is eventually formed. The swelling corresponds to the penetration of the solvent in the TPU molecules, followed by the absorption and combination of the TPU with the solvent. Such a combination results in a progressive separation of the macromolecules, breaking the intermolecular bonds (hydrogen bridges) and destroying the forces that form the initial structure. Such forces are much weaker in the crystalline phase (soft segment) than in the amorphous phase(hard segment). When all the links are broken, the macromolecules can move easily, and a homogeneous solution is then obtained.

Depending in the solvent mixture and on the given amount of intermolecular forces, the capacity of separating and breaking the links that join the macromolecules will be different. If such links are not broken (due either to a faulty stirring, or little solubility of the solvent mixture), the final solution will tend to return to its initial structure, and eventually form a non-homogeneous solution( gelled solution).

The solubility of the different Pearlstick TPU families in several solvents and some of their mixtures has been obtained following a stirring Process with a shear effect (COWLES), with a solid content of 15% and an agitation speed of 1330 rpm during three hours (Merquinsa’s Standard MQSA Nº 55A).
The solubility has been checked after stirring and by visual control and is described below:

Solubility of pearlstick TPU	D40-70	45-40	45-50	45-60	45-80	45-90	46-10	48-60
Acetone	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
MEK	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
THF	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Cyclohexanone	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Ethyl Acetate	x	x	x	x	x	x	+	o
Isobutyl Acetate	x	x	x	x	x	x	o	x
Methylene Chloride	x	x	x	x	x	x	+	x
Trichloroethylene	x	x	x	x	o	-	+/o	x
1.1.1. Trichloroethane	x	x	x	x	x	x	+/o	x
Toluene	x	x	x	x	x	x	o	x
Xylene	x	x	x	x	x	x	o	x
Acetone/Toluene (70:30)	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
MEK/Toluene (80:20)	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
MEK/Ethyl Acetate (80:20)	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+

+ soluble x Insoluble -Swelling

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