German engineering plastics distributor ClickPlastics (Bensheim; www.clickplastics.com) is introducing a range of TPV compounds and a medical TPE from Shandong Dawn Polymer (Longkou / China; www.dawnprene.com/en).

The TPV compounds create a microporous polymer foam when extruded and do not require pre-drying. They can and can be handled on all common machines without modifications and, depending on the hardness of the starting material, the density can be reduced by up to 50%, creating lighter parts, the distributor said. The materials have been successfully applied by Shandong Dawn Polymer as window seals and profiles for the automotive industry.

The TPE has been developed for medical packaging applications and has been applied in a new generation of TPE-based seals in the medical field, where it shows excellent sealing properties, including following puncturing and withdrawal of injection systems.

The main applications for the material are in medical stoppers, seals and caps for pharmaceutical and IV device packaging. A production line for medical TPEs with a capacity of 10,000 t/y is expected to be completed by Shandong Dawn Polymer early in 2016. Sample deliveries and small quantities for customer testing are currently available from the pilot plant.

ClickPlastics will introduce the materials at this year’s “Fakuma” trade fair (www.fakuma-messe.de) to be held from 13-17 October in Friedrichshafen / Germany.