The Temperature Resistance of ESTANE® 3D M95A TPU
ESTANE M95A TPU has established itself as a versatile 3D printing elastomeric material due to a wide array of material properties that enable the material to be used across numerous industries. The temperature performance of the material only helps to broaden the range of applicable industries and applications and enables ESTANE M95A resin to stand apart from many competitors.
Excellent low temperature performance is inherent to many TPUs, but ESTANE M95A polymer also adds to this by having excellent high temperature performance for a 3D printed elastomeric material.
Why Temperature Resistance Matters
Cold-Weather Application
From outdoor athletic gear to components for inside large industrial freezers, parts made with ESTANE® M95A TPU can maintain their flexibility and performance even at sub-zero temperatures, allowing for performance even within cold conditions.
To validate this, Lubrizol subjected ESTANE® M95A test specimens to the Ross Flex test. The result showed that printed ESTANE M95A parts exhibited no visible cracks at both room temperature (23ºC) and low temperature (-6ºC) conditions while being flexed to a 60-degree angle for 150,000 cycles.
High Heat-Resistance
Many industries, specifically those operating in industrial settings, can benefit from the use of ESTANE® M95A TPU and its ability to withstand high temperature environments.
Currently, parts printed from ESTANE® M95A material are being used for numerous industrial components, including as robotic grippers to remove extremely hot plastic parts from industrial injection molding equipment. Without the material’s high temperature performance, these robotic grippers would fail, melt, and potentially leave TPU residue on the injection molded parts. The temperature performance allows for more cycles between part replacement that enables production injection molding machines to experience less downtime.
To validate the temperate performance of ESTANE M95A TPU, Lubrizol conducted short- and long-term temperature exposure tests. While there is a loss of material mechanical properties, the shape and integrity of the 3D printed parts were not compromised. Results of the testing can be seen below:
Performance After 240 hours of Elevated Temp. (80°C ~ 120°C)
*Up to 100° C there was almost no drop in properties. Even at 120°C, the reduction was about only 10%.
Heat Temperature Exposure 150°C~ 200°C
At 180°C and 200°C, PA12 printed parts melt within the first hour.
To learn how the temperature resistance of ESTANE M95A material can benefit your business needs, contact a Lubrizol representative today.
