Evaluating TPV Alternatives for Automotive Applications

The shift to electrification is revolutionizing thermal management, challenging traditional coolant hose materials like EPDM and polyamides. Discover how Sarlink TPV offers the reduced weight, durability, and versatility needed for evolving EV thermal requirements, contributing to improved battery efficiency and offering recycled content for a lower carbon footprint solution. Explore Sarlink TPV for advanced EV coolant hose solutions.

A vehicle's sealing system provides a flexible interface between the various components of the vehicle—be it metal, plastic, or glass—to prevent the passage of air, water, or noise into the cabin. Sarlink continues to displace EPDM in sealing systems due to its lower density which yields lighter-weight parts, and faster, more efficient manufacturing. This leads to serious cost savings.

With first-class surface quality and weatherability, Sarlink products remain consistent in gloss and color after long-term UV exposure. Sarlink exhibits excellent adhesion to TPE or EPDM substrates with or without a slip coat, and select grades are designed for a lower coefficient of friction against glass or painted steel. With both TPE and TPV Sarlink product offerings, Teknor can recommend the technology that best fits the application.

TPEs play an important role in automotive interiors, forming parts that protect the cabin from dirt, wear, and stains, while also providing a soft-touch feel to improve overall passenger comfort. The Sarlink product line delivers superior performance in interior applications with excellent scratch and mar resistance, as well as protection against staining and cleaning solutions, and low fogging and VOCs. Sarlink products exhibit excellent adhesion to polyolefins using multi-shot molding, providing a soft cushion to otherwise rigid parts.

Ultimately, Sarlink delivers an ideal combination of haptics and aesthetics to meet your automotive interior needs. While Sarlink TPVs exhibit a matte finish and rubber-like feel, Sarlink TPEs can be customized to have a glossy finish, and a satin-like feel. The TPE compounds can even be color-matched to create a consistent palette throughout the entire vehicle interior.

Automotive exteriors include static seals and molded or extruded trim that close the gaps between different parts of the vehicle and protect it from damage while improving the vehicle's aerodynamics. For automotive exteriors, the Sarlink product line offers many valuable advantages, including a Class A surface appearance, excellent UV stability, and resistance to scratching and chipping. Furthermore, Sarlink remains flexible and elastic at extreme temperatures and demonstrates outstanding long-term performance, ensuring a tight seal over time.

Teknor is unique in offering both TPV and styrenic TPE solutions for exterior molding and extrusion applications. Each technology offers distinct benefits: Sarlink TPVs have improved chemical resistance, and are unaffected by OEM cleaning agents and waxes. Also, Sarlink TPVs outperform competitive products in long-term performance. Sarlink TPEs allow engineers more flexibility in designing parts. Lower in viscosity, Sarlink TPEs can be molded into more complex, intricate geometries.

Materials for under-the-hood applications have to perform in extreme conditions due to high temperatures, constant vibration, and contact with a variety of harsh fluids and other elements. Sarlink TPVs perform well in this segment due to excellent flex fatigue behavior, flexibility over a wide temperature range (-45°C to 125°C), superior weatherability, and resistance to oil and grease. Suitable for extrusion and blow molding, Sarlink also adheres well to polypropylene (PP) via multi-component molding, eliminating the need for metal fasteners.