Rapra Technology hosts TPE 2005.

Rapra Technology will hold its 8th International Conference on Thermoplastic Elastomers--TPE 2005 at the Grand Hotel Esplanade in Berlin, Germany, September 14-15.

TPEs continue to show healthy growth compared with most other polymeric materials, due to their unique combination of elastomeric properties with thermoplastic processability and recyclability, according to Rapra. TPE 2005, an international conference for the thermoplastic elastomers industry, will highlight developments in materials, applications and processing.

Applications for TPEs will be featured, including such examples as automotive airbag covers and glass run channels, sports applications and extruded products.

There will also be presentations on the use of TPEs in recycling polymer products such as tires and other end-of-life vehicle components. Processing developments will focus on adhesion, cellular TPE, multi-component molding and product design.

This year's International Conference on Thermoplastic Elastomers will feature a record number of papers from experts on TPE materials, processing and applications. Opportunities will be present for attendees to network with experts in the field and ask questions about the most suitable technology for specific businesses.

Session 1 on "Developments in TPVs," will include the following presentations: "A new thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV) with differentiated properties in comparison with EPDM based TPV," Daniel Milesi and Pierre Rousseau, Multibase SAS/Dow Corning, France; "Engineering TPV for extrusion applications," Mark Jacobs, Anke Sutschek, Coreen Lee, H. Chul Lee and Orvar Otterstedt, DuPont, Switzerland; "Si-based technology for thermoplastic vulcanizates," Valerie Smits and Thierry Materne, Dow Corning S.A. Belgium; and "An innovative way of dynamic vulcanization of EVA in the presence of PP: Chemical, processing and mechanical properties," Philippe Cassagnau, Catherine Joubert and Alain Michel, University of Lyon, France.

Session 2 on "Polyacrylate TPV," will include the following presentation: "TPEs based on polyacrylate: A new option for special applications," Mauro Eduardo Pinto and Cristiane Damasceno do Nascimento, Nitriflex SA, Brazil.

Session 3 on "TPEs for automotive applications," will include the following presentations: "Polyolefin resin for airbag application--morphology of soft resin and parts performance," Nadeem Bakhari, Autoliv North America, and Hiroshi Toyoda and Kousuke Ohtani, Sumitomo Chemical Ltd., Japan; "The influence of painting systems on TPVs in low temperature deployment behavior of airbag doors," Herman Vos, DSM Thermoplastic Elastomers," The Netherlands; "Development of new TPV sponge materials and foaming systems for dynamic automotive weatherseals," Eric Jourdain, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical, and Jere Anderson, Trexel; and "TPV for hidden door frames," Klaus-Peter Maass, GDX-Grefrath and Get Vroomen, DSM Thermoplastic Elastomers, The Netherlands.

Session 4 on "Natural rubber based TPVs," will include the following presentation: "Natural rubber based TPVs for improved performance," Stuart Cook, J. Patel and Andrew Tinker, Tun Abdul Razak Research Center, U.K.

Session 5 on "TPEs from recycled materials," will include the following presentations: "Further advances in developing quality automotive products by incorporating end-of-life vehicle parts," Gary Pollard, Vita Thermoplastic Compounds Ltd., U.K.; "Reprocessable recycling TPEs from rubber powder--mechanical properties and applications of durometer A types," Henrik Scholz and Armin Dittmar, Faru GmbH, Germany; and "Thermoplastic elastomers based on ground rubber tire," Eduard Prut, Tatiana Medintseva and Olga Kuznetsova, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia.

Session 6 on "Styrenic TPEs," will include the following presentations: "New thermoplastic elastomer TU-Polymer," Mizuho Maeda, Kuraray Europe GmbH, Germany; "A novel robust polyamide overmold thermoplastic elastomer," Krishna Venkataswamy, Jiren Gu, Walter Ripple and John Simons, GLS; "SBS-block copolymer with unique structure and properties," Robert Huber, BASF AG, Germany; "Comparing elongational behavior of SBS and SEBS copolymers in the melt state," Fabio Bacchelli, Polimeri Europa S.p.A., Italy; and "The role of polyisobutylene in TPE formulations," Patrick Ellis, Alain Prevot and Xavier Tassel, Polytechs SA, France.

Session 7 on "Thermoplastic urethanes (TPU)," will include the following presentations: "Without plasticizers--plasticized thermoplastic polyurethane," Andreas Tiemann and Rolf Steinberger, Elastogran GmbH, Germany; and "Soft TPU--design and applications," Georg Fuchte, Bayer MaterialScience AG, Germany.

Session 8 on "Polyamide TPEs," will include the following presentation: "PEBA--high performance TPEs for sports applications," Martin Wielpuetz and Michael Beyer, Degussa AG, Germany.

Session 9 on "Copolyester TPE," will include the following presentation: "New developments in the application of TPE-E in breathable film," Francis Aussems, DSM Engineering Plastics, The Netherlands.

Session 10 on "Processing TPEs," will include the following presentations: "Bonding TPEs with cyanoacrylate adhesives," Bob Goss, Henkel Loctite Adhesives Ltd., U.K.; "Multi-component mold technologies and the possibilities for design of products," Klaus Rahnhoefer, Demag Plastics Group, Germany; and "Corner molding--combined TPE-EPDM injection," Armin Stutz, LWB Steinl, and HansVolker Buchholz, Meteor Gummiwerke, Germany.

Registration costs for TPE 2005 range from EUR 950 to EUR 1,050. Further information is available from Sharon Garrington, tel.: [phone]; fax: [phone].