The first is to identify the difference between the two materials.
TPE (Thermoplastic Elastomer) is a thermoplastic elastomer material. TPE is environmentally friendly, non-toxic and safe, has a wide range of hardness, excellent colorability, soft touch, fatigue resistance and temperature resistance, excellent processing performance, no vulcanization, and can be recycled. Use to reduce costs, both can be overmolded.
PU is the abbreviation of polyurethane material, the English name is polyurethane, it is a kind of polymer material PU, also known as recycled leather, recycled leather. It is characterized by slip resistance and wear resistance, but the price is more expensive, and it is only a relatively high-end and high-quality material. There are few PU colors, and the main color is black or other dark colors, which can be matched according to customer needs, such as green, purple, red, cyan, blue, gray, etc. PU has a softer texture and is suitable for making casual bags or furniture skins. PU fabric is a simulated leather fabric, which is synthesized from artificial materials and has the texture of genuine leather. It is very durable and affordable.
Features of TPE:
1. It can be processed by general thermoplastic molding machine without special processing equipment.
2. Production efficiency is greatly improved
3. Easy to recycle and reduce cost.
4. Energy saving. Most thermoplastic elastomers do not need to be vulcanized or the vulcanization time is very short, which can effectively save energy.
5. Wider application fields.
6. It can be used for strengthening and toughening of plastics. However, the heat resistance of TPE is not as good as that of rubber, and the physical properties decrease greatly with the increase of temperature, so the scope of application is limited.
Features of PU:
1. Good physical properties, resistance to twists and turns, good softness, high tensile strength, and breathability.
2. High air permeability, high peel strength and high water pressure resistance, it is an ideal material for the top and bottom layers of waterproof and breathable clothing fabrics.
3. The price is high. The price of some special PU fabrics is 2-3 times higher than that of PVC fabrics. The pattern paper required for general PU fabrics can only be used for 4-5 times and it will be scrapped;
4. The use period of the pattern roller is long, so the cost of PU leather is higher than that of PVC leather.
Summary:
PU is a general term for polyurethane, and TPU is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer. TPE is a polyolefin elastomer, TPU is a polyurethane elastomer, TPU has much better wear resistance, and the hardness of TPE can be very low. If the fitness enthusiasts who are sensitive to the rubber smell of the yoga mat can use TPE material, the yoga exercise sweats a lot, and the fitness enthusiasts who pursue the anti-skid and wear resistance of the yoga mat can choose the PU material yoga mat.