Recent developments for thermoplastic elastomers

Abstract In this paper, we review a number of the latest developments for the broad family of thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs); these can be seen mainly in the groups of block copolymers and polymer blends, including dynamically vulcanized polyblends. Recently, the synthesis and properties of TPEs derived from triazinedithiols, which have been considered promising components for hard segments, have been reported. Polyesteramide elastomers based on terephthalamide hard segments of uniform length with various soft segments exhibit excellent thermomechanical properties that make them effective in applications like automotive parts and industrial parts that demand a wide service temperature range and oil resistance. Other novel TPEs based on polyurethane/poly(methylmethacrylate-co-styrene) semiinterpenetrating polymer networks were synthesized using a simultaneous interpenetrating networks technique. Their morphology is similar to that of dynamically vulcanized TPEs. Blended TPEs, in which the plastic phase is...