Wet COF equal to or higher than dry COF

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 15, 2004

Functional thermoplastic elastomer compounds designed to improve wet-grip performance.

Compounder RTP has added grades to its RTP 6000 series of functional thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compounds.

These compounds, designated RTP 6011, are designed to improve wet-grip performance.

They improve wet coefficient of friction (COF), testing 45% higher than SBC-based TPEs and olefinic thermoplastic vulcanisates of equivalent hardness.

The wet COF is equal to or higher than dry COF, whereas most TPEs exhibit a significant decrease in COF when they become wet.

There are three hardness grades - 55, 65, and 75 Shore A - and they can be coloured by either concentrate or pre-colour methods.

Customised grades and colours are available.

RTP 6011 is bondable to polypropylene substrates.

In addition, the company is developing products with enhanced bonding to various substrates as well as coupling this technology with its experience in additive technologies.

Applications for the wet-grip technology include marine and personal watercraft applications such as hand grips and foot pads, consumer personal care items and household kitchen utensils.

Performance enhancements in sporting good products are possible with the improved grip characteristics.

Industrial markets can benefit from the wet-grip material where it may be implemented into power tool grips, hand tool grips and conveyor foot padding.

"We believe RTP is the first compounder to offer products based on this unique technology", said Paul Killian, Product Manager for TPE compounds at RTP, "and we will continue to develop aggressively new TPE products based on this technology".