SEBS
SEBS is a hydrogenated styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer, the saturated version of SBS, supplied as a compoundable thermoplastic elastomer rather than a rigid styrenic.
Reference datasheet — SEBS is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the NEAT condition
SEBS grades and fills
SEBS is supplied in 15 conditions, soft to hard. NEAT is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 15 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Highly oil-extended gel | Very high white-oil loading for gel pads, cable-sealing gels, prosthetic liners and vibration damping. | 0.6 | 900 | 8 Shore A | |
Foamable / foamed grade | Chemically or physically foamed SEBS for lightweight grips, shoe midsoles and sealing foam; density and feel tune with expansion ratio. | 2 | 300 | 25 Shore A | |
Shore A 30 compound | Very soft skin-contact and grip layer; choose when a rubbery, cushioning feel matters more than tear or wear resistance. | 4 | 750 | 30 Shore A | |
High-density mineral-filled (sound-damping / weighted) grade | BaSO4/CaCO3-loaded SEBS used as an acoustic barrier or weighted soft part; stiff, low elongation, low cost per volume. | 4 | 250 | 32 Shore D | |
Shore A 40 compound | General soft-touch overmold and gasket hardness with a usable balance of feel and tear strength. | 5 | 700 | 9 Shore D | |
Antistatic / conductive grade | Carbon-loaded SEBS for ESD-safe grips, conductive seals and electrode pads; black only, and mechanicals/feel are compromised. | 5 | 350 | 70 Shore A | |
PP/PE-bondable overmold grade | PP-rich SEBS compound that fuses directly to polyolefin substrates in 2K molding — pick for PP tool handles and closures. | 6 | 650 | 14 Shore D | |
Flame-retardant grade | Halogen-free (MDH/ATH) or brominated FR compound for cable jackets and appliance parts requiring V-0; heavily filled, so mechanicals drop. | 6 | 300 | 30 Shore D | |
Shore A 60 compound | Workhorse hardness for handle grips, seals and cable jackets needing better abrasion and set than the very soft grades. | 7 | 650 | 60 Shore A | |
Polar-substrate bondable grade (PC, ABS, PA, PC/ABS) | Compatibilized (often MA- or polar-modified) SEBS for 2K overmolding onto engineering plastics; needs hotter melt and mold to develop bond. | 7 | 500 | 17 Shore D | |
Shore A 70 compound | Semi-rigid seals, bellows, and wire jackets where higher modulus and lower creep are needed. | 9 | 600 | 22 Shore D | |
Shore A 80 compound | Hard TPE for structural bumpers, castor treads and snap-in seals; feels firm rather than rubbery. | 11 | 550 | 28 Shore D | |
Shore A 90 compound | Hardest common SEBS compound — wheels, protective housings, hinge-like flexures; approaches Shore D 35. | 14 | 500 | 35 Shore D | |
Maleic-anhydride grafted SEBS | Reactive impact modifier / compatibilizer for PA, PBT, PC and filled alloys; not used as a stand-alone elastomer. | 25 | 500 | 23 Shore D | |
NEATDefault Neat SEBS base polymer | Raw block-copolymer pellet/crumb bought for compounding, adhesives, oil gels and polymer modification — not normally molded as-is. | 30 | 550 | 24 Shore D |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways SEBS is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
MED | Medical / food-contact grade | Certification |
Clear | Clear / transparent grade | Grade option |
UV | UV-stabilized / weatherable grade | Grade option |
What is SEBS?
SEBS is a hydrogenated styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene block copolymer, the saturated version of SBS, supplied as a compoundable thermoplastic elastomer rather than a rigid styrenic. Hydrogenation removes the residual unsaturation, giving better UV, oxidation and heat stability than SBS at 0.91 g/cm3, 30 MPa tensile strength, 550 % elongation, 0.015 GPa modulus and 85 C maximum service temperature. Compounds are stocked from Shore A 30 to 90 plus oil gel, PP-bonding, PC/ABS-bonding, FR V-0, medical, UV, ESD, clear, foam and highly filled versions for two-shot soft-touch work. It carries no structural load and is not suited to harsh-service SBS replacement in oil or fuel contact; TPV or TPU are the usual step up. SEBS has a density of 0.91 g/cm³ (0.0329 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -55°C (-67 °F). SEBS has a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi), weaker than 62% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 550% and the elastic modulus is 0.02 GPa (0.0022 Msi).
What is SEBS used for?
- Soft-touch grips and overmolds
- Medical tubing compounds
- Wire and cable jacketing
- Adhesive formulations
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 550%, better than 92% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 90/100, better than 91% of polymer grades
- Good UV / weathering resistance — 80/100, better than 86% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.05%, better than 84% of polymer grades
- Lightweight — 0.91 g/cm³ (0.0329 lb/in³), better than 80% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 82% of polymer grades
- Low stiffness — 0.02 GPa (0.0022 Msi), worse than 77% of polymer grades
SEBS properties
Typical room-temperature values for SEBS-NEAT; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
SEBS has a density of 0.91 g/cm³ (0.0329 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -55°C (-67 °F).
Mechanical8
SEBS has a tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi), weaker than 62% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 550% and the elastic modulus is 0.02 GPa (0.0022 Msi).
Thermal9
SEBS is rated for continuous service to 85°C (185 °F). It conducts heat at 0.18 W/m·K (0.104 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 73% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 180 µm/m·K (100 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
SEBS is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 22 kV/mm (558.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹³ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (80/100), worse than 52% of polymer grades. UV resistance is very good.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of SEBS takes about 105 MJ of energy and emits 3.6 kg of CO₂ — more than 54% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 2%.
Manufacturability8
SEBS's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades); weldability good (55/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the polymer family
Yield strength against density for every polymer grade FabDigit runs. SEBS is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with SEBS
Is SEBS easy to machine?
Poor — the material smears and deflects; die-cutting, waterjet or cryogenic trimming beats milling, and sharp uncoated blades with air blast are required for any cutting.
Can SEBS be welded?
No solvent or HF welding; hot-plate and ultrasonic joints are weak, so 2K overmolding, heat staking to a rigid substrate, or cyanoacrylate/hot-melt adhesive after plasma treatment is preferred.
Can SEBS be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 190–230 °C melt, 20–50 °C tool, low back pressure and generous gates; dry 2–3 h at 60–70 °C if hygroscopic additives are present, and expect 1–2.5 % shrinkage with 2–3 % typical demold recovery.
SEBS chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| styrene (end blocks)polystyrene hard-domain content of the base polymer | 13 – 35 | 30 |
| white mineral / paraffinic oiladded only in TPE compounds, not in the neat resin | 0 – 60 | 0 |
| polypropylenecompound carrier resin for processing and PP adhesion | 0 – 40 | 0 |
| mineral filler (CaCO3, BaSO4, talc)cost / density / damping adjustment in compounds | 0 – 60 | 0 |
| antioxidant + UV stabilizerhindered phenol/phosphite, HALS | 0.1 – 1 | 0.3 |
| ethylene/butylene (hydrogenated butadienresidual unsaturation typically <2 % | ≥ 65 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on SEBS?
Cannot be painted or plated reliably without adhesion primer; appearance comes from tool texture, in-mold color masterbatch, or anti-tack/soft-touch surface additives to reduce dust pickup.
How much does SEBS cost?
SEBS is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
SEBS — frequently asked
What is SEBS used for?
SEBS is typically used for soft-touch grips and overmolds, medical tubing compounds, wire and cable jacketing and adhesive formulations. In short: UV-stable SBS replacement; soft-touch overmold standard; shore A 30-90 compounds.
What is the tensile strength of SEBS?
SEBS has a typical tensile strength of 30 MPa (4.35 ksi) — weaker than 62% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 15 listed tempers.
Is SEBS easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades). Poor — the material smears and deflects; die-cutting, waterjet or cryogenic trimming beats milling, and sharp uncoated blades with air blast are required for any cutting.
Can SEBS be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (55/100). No solvent or HF welding; hot-plate and ultrasonic joints are weak, so 2K overmolding, heat staking to a rigid substrate, or cyanoacrylate/hot-melt adhesive after plasma treatment is preferred.
What surface finishes work on SEBS?
Cannot be painted or plated reliably without adhesion primer; appearance comes from tool texture, in-mold color masterbatch, or anti-tack/soft-touch surface additives to reduce dust pickup.
Can SEBS be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mold at 190–230 °C melt, 20–50 °C tool, low back pressure and generous gates; dry 2–3 h at 60–70 °C if hygroscopic additives are present, and expect 1–2.5 % shrinkage with 2–3 % typical demold recovery.
What is the maximum service temperature of SEBS?
SEBS is rated for continuous use to about 85°C (185 °F), and briefly to 110°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does SEBS cost?
SEBS is a standard-cost polymer ($$), cheaper than about 71% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- Kraton G Series (G1650/G1651/G1652/FG1901) product data sheets — Kraton Corporation (2022)
- SEBS YH-50x series technical data (2023)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector TPE-S (SEBS) compound datasets — CAMPUS Consortium / UL Solutions (2024)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2: Engineering Plastics — thermoplastic elastomers — ASM International (1988)
- ASTM D412 / D624 / D395 / D2240 elastomer test methods — ASTM International (2021)
- SEBS/TPE (2026)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.