Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Launches Domestic Production of Thermoplastic Polyurethane
“Thermoplastic polyurethanes, known in the industry as TPU, are a versatile elastomer with unique properties,” Nima Eskandari, a board member of the Iranian knowledge-based company told ANA correspondent in an interview.
He said that the TPU produced in their company offers optimal performance in the most demanding industries.
“Thermoplastic polyurethanes have high elasticity, high mechanical strength, and very high abrasion resistance; Due to its high mechanical properties, this product has many applications in various industrial fields, including automotive, military, electrical, industrial and health,” Eskandari said.
“This product had not been produced in the country due to the complicated process of its production and its time-consuming nature. It was only produced in the region by a company in Turkey, and fortunately, we have now been able to be the second producer of this product in the region,” he further asserted.
“TPU is composed of an alternating sequence of hard and soft segments, and its production requires reactive extrusion and complicated reactors in order to first combine polyols (soft segment) and then combine it with the hard part in a reactive extruder and convert it into granules,” added the company’s member of board of directors.
According to him, the production of the TPU is highly dependent on the stoichiometric ratio of the raw materials, and any slightest deviation in its production will result in gelation or a polymer with unflavored properties. Given the specifications of the product, its production is highly expensive compared to other polymers.
“Different grades of this product have been imported from countries such as China, Italy, Turkey and Germany for various applications in recent years, including high pressure hoses (pneumatic), auto parts (dust collector), industrial adhesives and many other industrial applications,” said Eskandari, stressing, “But now consumers in the country can easily replace these previously imported foreign-made products with the domestically-made ones at a 20% lower prices.”
“The granules produced in this company are competitive with similar foreign models. For example, the soles of sneakers are cracked due to high abrasion, but this product is very elastic due to wear resistance and comes out with no problems that the old products used to have.”
At the end of the interview, Eskandari called for stepped-up and more faciliated government support for knowledge-based firms.
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