TPO
GB PP-EPDM, GB/T 22012
A PP matrix melt-blended with EPDM or EP rubber (often with talc reinforcement) to give rubber-like flexibility and excellent low-temperature impact toughness while remaining fully melt-processable; a major automotive soft-touch and exterior trim material.
Reference datasheet — TPO 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.
TPO grades and fills
TPO is supplied in 12 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 12 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
TPO foam / foamed skin | Chemically or physically foamed TPO sheet used as a cushion layer behind slush skins and in roofing/insulation composites. | 2 | 4 | 160 | 12 Shore D |
Shore A 70 | Very soft, rubber-like grade for grips, seals, boots and soft-touch overmolding onto PP. | 6 | 600 | 22 Shore D | |
Shore A 85 | Mid-hardness flexible grade for gaskets, bellows, wire jacketing and skin/slush layers. | 7 | 10 | 550 | 32 Shore D |
FR V-0 | Metal-hydroxide/intumescent FR package for cable jacketing, EV battery-pack trim and rail interior parts needing UL 94 V-0. | 11 | 12 | 150 | 52 Shore D |
Heat-stabilized / high-heat TPO | Extra antioxidant/heat-stabilizer package for under-hood ducting and parts seeing prolonged 100–120 °C air. | 14 | 17 | 300 | 50 Shore D |
10 % talc-filled TPO | Light mineral loading for a stiffness/impact balance in soft fascia and cladding with modest CTE reduction. | 15 | 17 | 300 | 52 Shore D |
High-flow thin-wall injection grade | MFR 25–45 grade for long-flow, thin-wall fascias and large interior panels with lower pack pressure. | 15 | 16 | 200 | 55 Shore D |
20 % talc-filled TPO | The classic exterior bumper/fascia compound: stiff enough for large panels, still tough at -30 °C, low CTE for paint fit. | 17 | 19 | 180 | 60 Shore D |
Paintable / adhesion-promoter-free exterior grade | Surface-modified TPO formulated for direct 2K paint adhesion on bumpers without a chlorinated-polyolefin primer. | 17 | 18 | 200 | 60 Shore D |
Conductive / e-paintable TPO | Conductive-filler grade allowing electrostatic painting of large fascias in-line with steel bodies. | 17 | 18 | 120 | 62 Shore D |
30–40 % mineral-filled TPO | Choose when panel stiffness, dimensional stability and low CTE matter more than elongation — IP carriers, door modules. | 22 | 45 | 66 Shore D | |
20 % glass-fiber reinforced TPO | Niche grade when a semi-rigid, impact-tolerant polyolefin bracket or under-hood part needs real load capacity. | 45 | 6 |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways TPO is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
SHEET-ROOF | TPO roofing / waterproofing membrane sheet | Supply form |
UV | UV-stabilized weatherable exterior grade | Grade option |
UnfilledDefault | Unfilled / natural TPO | Standard supply |
What is TPO?
A PP matrix melt-blended with EPDM or EP rubber (often with talc reinforcement) to give rubber-like flexibility and excellent low-temperature impact toughness while remaining fully melt-processable; a major automotive soft-touch and exterior trim material. TPO has a density of 0.89 g/cm³ (0.0322 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -50°C (-58 °F). TPO has a yield strength of 12 MPa (1.74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 15 MPa (2.18 ksi) — weaker than 88% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 400% and the elastic modulus is 0.6 GPa (0.087 Msi).
What is TPO used for?
- Automotive bumper fascias
- Roofing membranes
- Soft-touch interior skins
- Weatherstripping
- Flexible exterior trim
Advantages
- Low embodied carbon — 2.2 kg CO₂/kg, better than 93% of polymer grades
- Low moisture uptake — 0.02%, better than 92% of polymer grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 400%, better than 86% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 80/100, better than 86% of polymer grades
- Lightweight — 0.89 g/cm³ (0.0322 lb/in³), better than 83% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Hard to polish — 25/100, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- Low strength — 12 MPa (1.74 ksi), worse than 88% of polymer grades
TPO properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
TPO has a density of 0.89 g/cm³ (0.0322 lb/in³), lighter than 83% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -50°C (-58 °F).
Mechanical16
TPO has a yield strength of 12 MPa (1.74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 15 MPa (2.18 ksi) — weaker than 88% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 400% and the elastic modulus is 0.6 GPa (0.087 Msi).
Thermal11
TPO is rated for continuous service to 90°C (194 °F). It conducts heat at 0.2 W/m·K (0.116 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 110 µm/m·K (61.1 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
TPO is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹⁴ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (90/100), better than 82% of polymer grades. UV resistance is fair.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of TPO takes about 82 MJ of energy and emits 2.2 kg of CO₂ — less than 83% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability8
TPO's machinability is fair (50/100, worse than 73% of polymer grades); weldability very good (80/100); formability very good (80/100).
Common Calculations5
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. TPO is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with TPO
Is TPO easy to machine?
Machines like soft PP — sharp, high-rake, well-polished tools, high speed with low feed and air cooling; the rubber phase smears and grabs, so avoid dull cutters and use climb milling for clean edges.
Can TPO be welded?
Excellent for hot-plate, vibration, ultrasonic (near-field), IR and hot-gas welding to itself and to PP; not solvent- or adhesive-bondable without flame/plasma/corona treatment or a chlorinated-polyolefin primer.
Can TPO be formed, bent or molded?
Easy injection molding at 195–240 °C melt / 20–60 °C mold; dry is unnecessary (non-hygroscopic) but pellets must be surface-dry; expect 0.8–2.0 % shrinkage with strong flow-direction anisotropy in talc grades, and thermoforms/extrudes well for sheet and skins.
TPO 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 |
|---|---|---|
| EPDM / EPR elastomerdispersed rubber phase; may be reactor-made (in-reactor TPO) or melt-blended | 15 – 45 | 30 |
| talc (mineral filler)0 % in unfilled grades; 10–20 % typical for bumper fascia | 0 – 40 | 15 |
| POE / plastomer (C2-C8 octene copolymer)alternative impact modifier in modern TPO | 0 – 25 | 0 |
| carbon black + UV/heat stabilizersHALS + UVA + phenolic/phosphite AO package | 0.2 – 3 | 1.5 |
| polypropylene (homo/copolymer matrix)continuous phase; copolymer PP used for cold impact | ≥ 45 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on TPO?
Grained or textured tool surfaces are standard; painting requires flame or plasma pretreatment (or a primerless paintable grade), and molded-in-color UV grades avoid finishing altogether — no plating, and the soft surface scratches so a mar-resistant additive or hard clearcoat is common.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to TPO in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- GB (China)
- PP-EPDMGB/T 22012
How much does TPO cost?
TPO 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.
TPO — frequently asked
What is TPO used for?
TPO is typically used for automotive bumper fascias, roofing membranes, soft-touch interior skins, weatherstripping and flexible exterior trim. In short: flexible thermoplastic PP blend; paintable exterior trim material; recyclable EPDM alternative.
What is the yield strength of TPO?
TPO has a typical yield strength of 12 MPa (1.74 ksi) and a tensile strength of 15 MPa (2.18 ksi) — weaker than 88% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 12 listed tempers.
Is TPO easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (50/100, worse than 73% of polymer grades). Machines like soft PP — sharp, high-rake, well-polished tools, high speed with low feed and air cooling; the rubber phase smears and grabs, so avoid dull cutters and use climb milling for clean edges.
Can TPO be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (80/100). Excellent for hot-plate, vibration, ultrasonic (near-field), IR and hot-gas welding to itself and to PP; not solvent- or adhesive-bondable without flame/plasma/corona treatment or a chlorinated-polyolefin primer.
What surface finishes work on TPO?
Grained or textured tool surfaces are standard; painting requires flame or plasma pretreatment (or a primerless paintable grade), and molded-in-color UV grades avoid finishing altogether — no plating, and the soft surface scratches so a mar-resistant additive or hard clearcoat is common.
Can TPO be formed, bent or molded?
Easy injection molding at 195–240 °C melt / 20–60 °C mold; dry is unnecessary (non-hygroscopic) but pellets must be surface-dry; expect 0.8–2.0 % shrinkage with strong flow-direction anisotropy in talc grades, and thermoforms/extrudes well for sheet and skins.
What is the maximum service temperature of TPO?
TPO is rated for continuous use to about 90°C (194 °F), and briefly to 120°C. Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does TPO cost?
TPO 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
- ASTM D6162 / D4000 classification practice for thermoplastic elastomer and automotive plastics — ASTM International (2021)
- ASTM D6878 – Standard Specification for Thermoplastic Polyolefin Based Sheet Roofing — ASTM International (2021)
- ISO 527 / ISO 178 / ISO 75 / ISO 1133 test methods — ISO (2019)
- Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 2 – Engineering Plastics — ASM International (1988)
- Hifax / Adflex TPO compound datasheets — LyondellBasell (2023)
- ExxonMobil Exxtral / Vistamaxx-modified TPO datasheets — ExxonMobil Chemical (2023)
- CAMPUS plastics database – PP+EPDM compound entries — CWFG / CAMPUS consortium (2024)
- GB/T 30923 (automotive modified PP) (2014)
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.