Zeon and AES work on heat- and oil-resistant TPVZeon and AES work on heat- and oil-resistant TPV

Zeon Chemical, Louisville, ky, has gained exclusive rights to license certain technology from Advanced Elastomer Systems (AES), Akron, oh, for thermoplastic vulcanizates (tpv). Zeon Chemical, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Zeon Corp., Tokyo, will combine AES technology with its specialty elastomers to produce and market a line of tpvs named Zeotherm.

Prototype tpvs based on Zeon’s polyacrylate elastomers reportedly have shown excellent retention of physical properties after continuous exposure to automotive oils, transmission fluids, and greases, including synthetic ones, for 1500 hours at 150°C, while maintaining a hardness in the range of 70 to 90 Shore A.

Zeotherm materials will be launched commercially next month. Initial grades will be based on vulcanized polyacrylate elastomer dispersed in a nylon or polyester matrix, but Zeon intends to develop grades based on hydrogenated-nitrile and epichlorohydrin elastomers. Potential applications include automotive shaft and bearing seals, transmission sealing components, inboard constant-velocity-joint boots and air ducts, as well as industrial and consumer goods.