Compounder Teknor Apex (Pawtucket, Rhode Island / USA; www.teknorapex.com) says its new range of thermoplastic olefins (TPOs) have improved performance compared with conventional TPOs and provide advantages over many other thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). Under an agreement with Dow Chemical, the new “Telcar OBC” (olefin block copolymers) range of TPO compounds blends a rigid polyolefin with Dow’s “Infuse” OBC.

The range provides greater elasticity, tensile strength and processability than conventional TPOs, which have rubber phases consisting of EPDM rubber or random ethylene copolymers, says Teknor Apex. “OBC technology from Dow yields elastomers that bridge previous cost-performance gaps and enables Teknor Apex to provide customers with a true alternative to styrenic block polymer TPEs,” says Suresh Swaminathan, Teknor Apex vice president in charge of the TPE division.

The US group recommends the new compounds for opaque and translucent applications such as food and beverage packaging, medical devices and industrial products.