Dow Corning Corp. said that its TPSiV 4000 and TPSiV 4200 Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPEs) have been tested according to United States Pharmacopeia's General Chapter <88> and ISO 10993-10 guidelines and shown to be non irritating and non sensitizing in skin contact applications.

 

Dow Corning said the results offer strong independent validation that these materials are an option for use in wearable electronics applications, such as wrist bands for smart watches and fitness trackers, as well as for device accessories such as earbuds.

 

In vivo testing, performed in accordance with the USP General Chapter <88>, Biological Reactivity protocol, demonstrated that TPSiV 4000 and TPSiV 4200 Elastomers were not cytotoxic, said Dow Corning, and showed no indication of systemic toxicity and did not produce skin irritation.

 

Additional testing performed under ISO 10993-10 provided further evidence that TPSiV 4000 and TPSiV 4200 Elastomers were not skin sensitizers. These test results offer manufacturers an additional level of confidence in using TPSiV products in prolonged skin contact applications such as the fast-growing market for wearable electronics.

 

 

Teknor Apex Co. has developed a versatile series of TPEs for consumer electronics, to be introduced at Booth S24055 at NPE2015: the International Plastics Showcase, March 23-27 in Orlando, Fla.

 

Teknor Apex said the series is part of the Monprene family of TPEs and all products in the series exhibit resistance to skin oil, stains, household chemicals and UV. The series is free of latex, phthalates, BPA and heavy metals.

 

Besides custom-formulating any of the Monprene compounds to meet customer requirements, Teknor Apex said it can provide engineering support for application development and can supply identical formulations around the world.

 

At Booth NPE2015, Teknor Apex will highlight the following Monprene grades for consumer electronics:

 

- Monprene OM-13255 and OM-13265 Over-Molding Compounds for Wearable Devices: 55 and 65 Shore A compounds that provide a silky smooth feel, with low surface friction in uses like wristbands;

 

- Monprene OM-16277 Over-Molding Compound for Earbuds: 75 Shore A compound that provides a soft, conforming fit in the ear and is lightweight, with a specific gravity of 0.910;

 

- Monprene OM-12268 Over-Molding Compound for Smart Phone Cases: 70 Shore A compound that provides a soft, shock-absorbing protective layer over the rigid case;

 

- Monprene OM-12267 and OM-12245 Over-Molding Compounds for Grips on Computer Mice or Game Controllers: 65 and 45 Shore A compounds that provide comfortable, secure grips, with a non-slip surface and a matte finish; and

 

- Monprene CE-17000 Series for Jacketing of Earpiece Cords: flexible halogen-free compounds are available with Shore A hardness of 65, 75 or 85.

 

 

MarChem Polyurethane Systems, an Accella company, has added Tru-Motion SS, an IAAF certified running track product line. Tru-Motion products provide a variety of solutions for indoor multi-purpose surfaces, outdoor running tracks, and playground safety surfaces.

 

MarChem said the Tru-Motion product line represents an integrated approach to servicing the entire range of athletic and recreational surfacing market requirements. Additionally, Tru-Motion SS meets the strict technical requirements for tracks used at the highest levels of competitive activity on an international and collegiate level, the company said.

 

Coupled with MarChem's customer support, MarcChem said the entire range of Tru-Motion offerings provides significant time savings and installation flexibility for a wide breadth of unique sports and recreation surfacing applications.