TPE-S (SBS) A55
Hardness band
GB GB/T 22014
A55 = shore A55
Use Shore A55 when feel and strength must be balanced, as in tool handles and everyday soft-touch parts; 4.8 MPa tensile strength with 780 % elongation.
Values for the A55 condition
Other TPE-S (SBS) grades and fills
TPE-S (SBS) is listed in 11 conditions; see the grade overview at TPE-S (SBS).
Compare all 11 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foamable / low-density shoe-sole grade | Use the foamable grade with chemical blowing agents for light midsoles and outsoles at 0.5 g/cm³, trading strength (2 MPa) for rebound and cushioning. | — | 2 | 350 | 45 Shore A |
Shore A30 | Pick the ultra-soft oil-extended compound at Shore A30 for grips, toy soft parts and skin-like touch surfaces; tensile strength is only 2.5 MPa and oil bleed is likely. | — | 3 | 900 | 30 Shore A |
Shore A40 | Choose Shore A40 for flexible sealing strips, soft pads and grip overmolds where 3.5 MPa tensile strength and 850 % elongation are sufficient. | — | 4 | 850 | 40 Shore A |
Mineral (CaCO3) filled economy grade | Pick the calcium-carbonate filled economy grade to cut cost in soles and gaskets, accepting 4 MPa tensile, 450 % elongation and density raised to 1.2 g/cm³. | — | 4 | 450 | 20 Shore D |
A55This page Shore A55 | Use Shore A55 when feel and strength must be balanced, as in tool handles and everyday soft-touch parts; 4.8 MPa tensile strength with 780 % elongation. | — | 5 | 780 | 15 Shore D |
Halogen-free flame-retardant grade | Use the halogen-free UL 94 V-0 grade for cable jackets and plug overmolds needing flame-retardant approval; tensile drops to 5 MPa and elongation to 400 %, with a firmer feel. | — | 5 | 400 | 25 Shore D |
Overmolding grade | Choose the overmolding grade for two-shot soft-touch skins that must fuse to non-polar PP, PS or ABS substrates; PC or PA substrates require an SEBS-modified type. | — | 6 | 680 | 18 Shore D |
A65Default Shore A65 | Pick the unfilled natural Shore A65 compound as the default hardness for injection-molded soft parts, shoe soles and overmolds; 6 MPa tensile, 700 % elongation. | — | 6 | 700 | 20 Shore D |
Shore A75 | Choose Shore A75 for shoe soles, floor mats and wheel treads needing better wear and tear strength; 7.5 MPa tensile, with elongation falling to 620 %. | — | 8 | 620 | 27 Shore D |
Shore A85 | Pick Shore A85 for stiffer outsoles, castors and semi-structural soft parts; 9.5 MPa tensile and 0.025 GPa modulus at the cost of flexibility (550 % elongation). | — | 10 | 550 | 33 Shore D |
Shore D40 | Use the rigid SBS/PS alloy at Shore D40 for the stiff transition layer of hard-soft assemblies and rigid soles; 13 MPa tensile and 0.06 GPa modulus, close to semi-rigid plastic. | — | 13 | 430 | 40 Shore D |
What is TPE-S (SBS) A55?
TPE-S (SBS) A55 is TPE-S (SBS) heat treated to A55 — use Shore A55 when feel and strength must be balanced, as in tool handles and everyday soft-touch parts; 4.8 MPa tensile strength with 780 % elongation. TPE-S (SBS) A55 has a tensile strength of 5 MPa (0.696 ksi), weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 780% and the elastic modulus is 0 GPa (5.8×10⁻⁴ Msi). TPE-S (SBS) A55 has a density of 0.92 g/cm³ (0.0332 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -88°C (-126 °F). A65 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; A55 is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 780%, better than 100% of polymer grades
- Forms and bends easily — 88/100, better than 85% of polymer grades
- Lightweight — 0.92 g/cm³ (0.0332 lb/in³), better than 80% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.1%, better than 77% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 15/100, worse than 99% of polymer grades
- Low stiffness — 0 GPa (5.8×10⁻⁴ Msi), worse than 91% of polymer grades
- Degrades in UV without stabilisers — 20/100, worse than 88% of polymer grades
- Limited service temperature — 62°C (144 °F), worse than 85% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 30/100, worse than 82% of polymer grades
TPE-S (SBS) A55 properties
Typical room-temperature values for TPE-S (SBS) A55; 19 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are TPE-S (SBS) reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical3
TPE-S (SBS) A55 has a density of 0.92 g/cm³ (0.0332 lb/in³), lighter than 80% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -88°C (-126 °F).
Mechanical8
TPE-S (SBS) A55 has a tensile strength of 5 MPa (0.696 ksi), weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 780% and the elastic modulus is 0 GPa (5.8×10⁻⁴ Msi).
Thermal9
TPE-S (SBS) A55 is rated for continuous service to 62°C (144 °F). It conducts heat at 0.17 W/m·K (0.0982 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 75% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 200 µm/m·K (111.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical6
TPE-S (SBS) A55 is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 22 kV/mm (558.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is very good (70/100), worse than 78% of polymer grades. UV resistance is poor.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of TPE-S (SBS) A55 takes about 95 MJ of energy and emits 3.6 kg of CO₂ — less than 70% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability8
TPE-S (SBS) A55's machinability is poor (15/100, worse than 99% of polymer grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability excellent (88/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with TPE-S (SBS) A55
Is TPE-S (SBS) easy to machine?
Too soft for conventional cutting; parts are normally injection moulded or extruded to shape. Where trimming is required, use sharp steel-rule dies, water-jet or cryogenic milling and avoid frictional heat, which makes the surface tacky.
Can TPE-S (SBS) be welded?
Hot-plate and hot-air welding work, and HF welding is possible when polar additives are present; solvent and adhesive bonding with neoprene or SBS-based adhesives is common. Ultrasonic welding performs poorly because the compound damps the energy.
Can TPE-S (SBS) be formed, bent or molded?
Melt at 165–205 °C with a 15–50 °C tool, low back pressure and medium injection speed; drying is not mandatory, but 1–2 h at 60 °C stabilises processing in humid weather. Shrinkage is 0.8–2.5 %, so use thick runners and large gates to prevent shear heating that crosslinks and chars the butadiene segments.
What surface finishes work on TPE-S (SBS)?
Natural colour is slightly yellow; colour with masterbatch and define the surface with blasted or grained tool finishes. Hard paints adhere poorly and destroy the soft feel, so produce matte, non-slip surfaces by etching the mould.
TPE-S (SBS) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| SBS block copolymer ( / 30–40%)base resin; commercial linear or star SBS grades | 30 – 60 | 45 |
| white mineral oil ( / )softener; content sets final hardness | 15 – 45 | 30 |
| polystyrene / HIPSincreases hardness and flow | 0 – 15 | 7 |
| polypropyleneimproves heat resistance and overmolding adhesion | 0 – 10 | 3 |
| calcium carbonate fillerfiller, reduces cost; higher in economy grades | 0 – 30 | 12 |
| antioxidant / lubricant / colorantantioxidant system (1010/168) with lubricant and colorant | 0.3 – 2 | 1 |
| styrene monomerPS hard segment content in the finished compound | 10 – 25 | 16 |
| butadiene monomersoft segment | ≥ 20 (balance) | — |
TPE-S (SBS) A55 — frequently asked
What is TPE-S (SBS) A55 used for?
TPE-S (SBS) A55 is typically used for shoe soles, toys, handle grips, low-cost soft-touch overmolding and adhesive compounds. In short: cheapest soft-touch TPE; easy injection processing; poor UV and oil resistance.
What is the tensile strength of TPE-S (SBS) A55?
TPE-S (SBS) A55 has a typical tensile strength of 5 MPa (0.696 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 11 listed tempers.
Is TPE-S (SBS) A55 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (15/100, worse than 99% of polymer grades). Too soft for conventional cutting; parts are normally injection moulded or extruded to shape. Where trimming is required, use sharp steel-rule dies, water-jet or cryogenic milling and avoid frictional heat, which makes the surface tacky.
Can TPE-S (SBS) A55 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). Hot-plate and hot-air welding work, and HF welding is possible when polar additives are present; solvent and adhesive bonding with neoprene or SBS-based adhesives is common. Ultrasonic welding performs poorly because the compound damps the energy.
What surface finishes work on TPE-S (SBS) A55?
Natural colour is slightly yellow; colour with masterbatch and define the surface with blasted or grained tool finishes. Hard paints adhere poorly and destroy the soft feel, so produce matte, non-slip surfaces by etching the mould.
Can TPE-S (SBS) A55 be formed, bent or molded?
Melt at 165–205 °C with a 15–50 °C tool, low back pressure and medium injection speed; drying is not mandatory, but 1–2 h at 60 °C stabilises processing in humid weather. Shrinkage is 0.8–2.5 %, so use thick runners and large gates to prevent shear heating that crosslinks and chars the butadiene segments.
What is the maximum service temperature of TPE-S (SBS) A55?
TPE-S (SBS) A55 is rated for continuous use to about 62°C (144 °F), and briefly to 85°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
Sources
- ISO 18064 Thermoplastic elastomers — Nomenclature and abbreviated terms (TPS) — ISO (2014)
- Handbook of Thermoplastic Elastomers (Styrenic Block Copolymers chapter) — Elsevier/William Andrew (2014)
- SBS 791/792 TPE-S (2023)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector TPE (TPS-SBS) — CWFG / UL (2024)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.