TPE elastomer has been widely used in the field of outdoor products due to its good elasticity, flexibility and weather resistance. However, its low-temperature brittleness is a characteristic that cannot be ignored, which will have many effects on the performance of outdoor products. Understanding these effects is of great significance for the rational selection and use of TPE elastomer materials and for improving the quality and reliability of outdoor products.
TPE elastomer is a thermoplastic elastomer material. In a low-temperature environment, the movement of its molecular chain will be limited. When the temperature drops to a certain level, the activity of the molecular chain becomes difficult, the flexibility of the material is gradually lost, and the brittleness increases. This is because low temperature leads to an increase in the intermolecular force, and the movement of the molecular chain segments is frozen, making the material prone to fracture when subjected to external forces, showing brittle characteristics.
In a low-temperature environment, the hardness of TPE elastomer will increase significantly, while the elasticity and toughness will decrease significantly. For outdoor elastic ropes, seals and other products, this means that they are more likely to crack or break when subjected to tension, pressure or impact. For example, if elastic ropes used for mountaineering are made of TPE elastomer materials, they may not be able to bear the weight of climbers in low temperature environments due to increased brittleness, thus causing safety accidents. Similarly, seals of outdoor equipment become brittle at low temperatures and are prone to cracks, resulting in reduced sealing performance, exposing internal parts of the equipment to the external environment and causing damage.
The low-temperature brittleness of TPE elastomer also affects its wear resistance. Under low temperature conditions, the hardness of the material surface increases, but the toughness decreases, which makes it more likely to crack and peel when rubbing against other objects. For outdoor soles, handle covers and other parts that often come into contact with the outside world and rub against each other, this wear will accelerate the damage of the material and shorten the service life of outdoor products. For example, the TPE elastomer soles of outdoor sports shoes used in cold areas may wear out quickly at low temperatures, affecting the anti-slip performance and comfort of the shoes and increasing the risk of users slipping.
Low-temperature brittleness may cause appearance problems such as surface cracks and deformation of TPE elastomer outdoor products. These cracks not only affect the aesthetics of the product, but may also become the starting point for further damage. For some outdoor leisure products that focus on appearance, such as elastic decorative strips of outdoor furniture and elastic support parts of tents, damage to the appearance will reduce the overall quality and user experience of the product. Moreover, as the use time increases, these cracks may gradually expand and eventually lead to component failure.
Since TPE elastomer becomes brittle at low temperatures, its operating performance will also be affected. For example, the TPE elastomer handle of outdoor tools will become stiff in low temperature environments, making it difficult to hold and operate, reducing the convenience of using the tools. Similarly, elastic buckles, zippers and other parts on outdoor equipment may become difficult to open and close at low temperatures, causing inconvenience to users.
The low-temperature brittleness of TPE elastomer has many negative effects on the performance of outdoor products, involving mechanical properties, wear resistance, appearance and convenience of use. When designing and manufacturing outdoor products, the low-temperature brittleness of TPE elastomer must be fully considered. By selecting appropriate formulas, adding anti-low-temperature additives, optimizing processing technology and other methods to reduce its low-temperature brittleness, improve the performance and reliability of outdoor products in low-temperature environments, and meet the needs of users in various outdoor environments.
