The difference between TPE and PVC

1. Different performance

TPE is a thermoplastic elastomer material with the high elasticity, strength and resilience of rubber.TPE material does not contain plasticizer, is an environmentally friendly non-toxic material.

PVC is polyvinyl chloride, which has been identified by the World Health Organization as a class 3 carcinogen, and plasticizers have been added during processing.PVC products in higher temperature, will slowly decompose hydrogen chloride gas, this gas is harmful to the human body, easy to pollute the environment.

2. Different hardness

TPE: 10 ~ 95 a.TPE hardness is usually expressed in Terms of Shaw hardness A, and special hardness is measured in terms of OO and D；PVC: 10 ~ 20 p.PVC domestic often according to the added plasticizer and PVC raw material percentage P% to table, the hardness unit is P.

It should be noted that the higher the HARDNESS value of TPE, the harder the material is.The higher the hardness of PVC, the softer the material.

3. Feel different

TPE has a soft touch, high elasticity and mild texture, but it has a weak elasticity and a soft touch.

PVC handle is relatively hard, adding plasticizer can make plastic products become soft, easy to bend.

4. Different combustion states

TPE: Fragrant smell, yellow on the flame and blue on the flame.

PVC: the smell of chlorine, the flame on the yellow under the green, the fire from the self-extinguishing.

In terms of flame color, WHEN TPE burns, the flame root is blue and PVC is green.

5. Different levels of flame retardancy

In the absence of materials with added flame retardant, PVC flame retardant is better than TPE.

TPE flame retardant level: UL94-HB, in case of fire combustion, from the fire will not go out.
PVC flame retardant level: UL94-V2, with self-extinguishing, ignition combustion, after the evacuation of the ignition source, the flame will generally go out.

6. Temperature resistance

TPE temperature resistance: -50~90℃;
PVC temperature resistance: -10~80℃;
TPE has better cold resistance and high temperature resistance than PVC, but PVC material has high chemical resistance, corrosion resistance and ozone resistance.