The use of thermoplastic elastomers has significatnly increased since they were first produced about 35 years ago. Their worldwide annual consumption was estimated at 1,000,000 metric tons per year in 1995; this was expected to reach 1,400,000 metric tons per year in 2000, a rate of increase of some seven per cent per year. The outstanding advantage of thermoplastic elastomers can be summarized simply: they allow rubberlike articles to be produced by the rapid processing technologies developed by the thermoplastics industry.

Understanding Thermoplastic Elastomers provides a general introduction to the field, and gives a survey of thermoplastic elastomer materials. It discusses classification and structure; styrenic block copolymers; multi-block copolymers; graft copolymers, ionomers, and core—shell morphologies; commercial applications; and economic considerations.

Target Audience: Primarily students of, and newcomers to, thermoplastic processing; this book also serves as a concise reference for more experienced practitioners.

Table of Contents:

Introduction and Historical Survey

Classification and Structure

Styrenic Block Copolymers

Multi Block Copolymers

Hard Polymer/Elastomer Combinations

Graft Copolymers, Ionomers, and Core—Shell Morphologies

Commercial Applications of Thermoplastic Elastomers

Economic Aspects, Tradenames and Glossary, Future Developments

Index