TPV A55
Hardness band
JIS K6418 · GB GB/T 20028
A55 = shore A 55
Choose Shore A55 for soft seals and vibration-damping parts that need compliance together with tear strength; 4.1 MPa tensile and 115 °C service temperature.
Values for the A55 condition
Other TPV grades and fills
TPV is listed in 12 conditions; see the grade overview at TPV.
Compare all 12 grades and fillsHide
| Grade · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foamable / low-density extrusion grade | Pick the chemically or gas-foamed extrusion grade at 0.55 density for lightweight sponge window seals with low closing force, accepting 2.5 MPa tensile and 220 % elongation. | — | 3 | 220 | 10 Shore D |
Shore A 35 | Pick the ultra-soft Shore A35 grade for low closing-force sealing lips, soft-touch overmolds and low-pressure seals; 2.6 MPa tensile with service to 110 °C. | — | 3 | 300 | 35 Shore A |
A55This page Shore A 55 | Choose Shore A55 for soft seals and vibration-damping parts that need compliance together with tear strength; 4.1 MPa tensile and 115 °C service temperature. | — | 4 | 380 | 55 Shore A |
Overmolding / bondable soft-touch grade | Choose the bondable soft-touch grade for two-shot overmolding — self-adhering to PP and, when modified, to PA or PC-ABS — trading tensile down to 5 MPa for adhesion to the rigid substrate. | — | 5 | 400 | 16 Shore D |
Shore A 64 | Use Shore A64 as the mid-hardness choice for automotive weatherstrip bodies and gaskets; 5.6 MPa tensile, 400 % elongation and service to 120 °C. | — | 6 | 400 | 18 Shore D |
Flame-retardant TPV, halogen-free UL 94 V-0 | Choose the halogen-free UL 94 V-0 compound for cable jacketing and rail or appliance seals; the flame-retardant loading raises density to 1.12 and cuts elongation to 300 % and service temp to 110 °C. | — | 7 | 300 | 28 Shore D |
Conductive / antistatic TPV | Use the carbon-black or CNT-filled conductive version for static-dissipative seal strips, roller covers and grounding elements; the filler limits tensile to 7 MPa and elongation to 250 %. | — | 7 | 250 | 28 Shore D |
A73Default Shore A 73 | Pick as the baseline hardness for seals, grommets and overmolded grips — Shore A 73 balances 8.4 MPa tensile, 450 % elongation and sealing compliance with the widest processing window. | — | 8 | 450 | 73 Shore A |
Oil-resistant TPV | Use the NBR-based oil-resistant type instead of the EPDM-based one for seals and boots contacting mineral oil, fuel or grease, accepting a lower 100 °C maximum service temperature. | — | 9 | 320 | 28 Shore D |
Shore A 87 | Choose Shore A 87 when seals, boots and snap-fit elastic parts need higher stiffness, wear and extrusion resistance; 12.5 MPa tensile comes at the cost of softness and sealing compliance. | — | 13 | 530 | 34 Shore D |
Shore D 40 | Use this semi-rigid Shore D 40 (≈ Shore A 92) level for CVJ boots, bellows and stiff seal carriers, where 0.12 GPa modulus and 18 MPa tensile matter more than low closing force. | — | 18 | 600 | 40 Shore D |
Shore D 50 | Pick the hardest commercial level, Shore D 50 with 24 MPa tensile and 0.25 GPa modulus, for impact-resistant rigid parts, paint-free bumper inserts and hard substrates in hard/soft coextrusion. | — | 24 | 550 | 50 Shore D |
What is TPV A55?
TPV A55 is TPV heat treated to A55 — choose Shore A55 for soft seals and vibration-damping parts that need compliance together with tear strength; 4.1 MPa tensile and 115 °C service temperature. TPV A55 has a tensile strength of 4 MPa (0.595 ksi), weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 380% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (8.7×10⁻⁴ Msi). TPV A55 has a density of 0.95 g/cm³ (0.0343 lb/in³), lighter than 75% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -55°C (-67 °F). A73 is the default condition FabDigit quotes; A55 is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Forms and bends easily — 90/100, better than 91% of polymer grades
- Good UV / weathering resistance — 85/100, better than 88% of polymer grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 380%, better than 85% of polymer grades
- Good corrosion resistance — 90/100, better than 82% of polymer grades
- Readily welded — 75/100, better than 82% of polymer grades
Limitations
- Difficult to machine — 25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades
- Hard to polish — 25/100, worse than 90% of polymer grades
- High mold shrinkage — 2.2%, worse than 87% of polymer grades
- Low stiffness — 0.01 GPa (8.7×10⁻⁴ Msi), worse than 86% of polymer grades
TPV A55 properties
Typical room-temperature values for TPV A55; 10 are specific to this condition. Other listed values are TPV reference data and may not represent this condition. Bars are the position among polymer grades.
Physical5
TPV A55 has a density of 0.95 g/cm³ (0.0343 lb/in³), lighter than 75% of polymer grades. Its glass-transition temperature is -55°C (-67 °F).
Mechanical11
TPV A55 has a tensile strength of 4 MPa (0.595 ksi), weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Elongation at break is 380% and the elastic modulus is 0.01 GPa (8.7×10⁻⁴ Msi).
Thermal10
TPV A55 is rated for continuous service to 115°C (239 °F). It conducts heat at 0.22 W/m·K (0.127 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 60% of polymer grades. Thermal expansion is 180 µm/m·K (100 µin/in·°F).
Electrical7
TPV A55 is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 25 kV/mm (635 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹² Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (90/100), better than 82% of polymer grades. UV resistance is excellent.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of TPV A55 takes about 92 MJ of energy and emits 3.4 kg of CO₂ — less than 74% of polymer grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability8
TPV A55's machinability is poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades); weldability very good (75/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Confirm any required mill or lot documentation when quoting.
Working with TPV A55
Is TPV easy to machine?
Soft and tacky: use sharp single-edge tools, waterjet, or cryogenic (dry ice / liquid nitrogen) trimming. Die-cutting requires keen edges to avoid torn flanks.
Can TPV be welded?
Hot-plate, infrared, hot-gas and, for harder grades, ultrasonic welding all work. It self-bonds to PP in co-extrusion and two-shot moulding; bonding to PA or PC-ABS needs a dedicated bonding grade or mechanical interlock.
Can TPV be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mould at 190-230 °C melt and 20-60 °C tool, with 80 °C drying for 2-3 h before processing. Shrinkage is anisotropic at 1.2-3 %; viscosity drops sharply under high shear, which suits thin-wall fast fill. Extrusion needs a 30:1 L/D screw and rapid water-bath sizing.
What surface finishes work on TPV?
The surface is a matte rubber texture that is coloured with masterbatch. Not platable; flame or plasma treat before painting or printing. Laser marking works, using a white laser additive on black parts.
TPV 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 |
|---|---|---|
| polypropylene (PP matrix)continuous phase, sets melting point and processability | 25 – 45 | 32 |
| EPDM rubber (dynamically vulcanized)crosslinked rubber domains, 1-5 um | 30 – 55 | 42 |
| paraffinic extender oilplasticizer, lowers hardness | 10 – 30 | 20 |
| curative (phenolic resin or Si-H/Pt syst | 0.5 – 3 | 1.5 |
| clay / talc / CaCO3 filler | 0 – 12 | 3 |
| antioxidant, UV stabilizer, pigment (car | 0.5 – 3 | 1.5 |
TPV A55 — frequently asked
What is TPV A55 used for?
TPV A55 is typically used for automotive weatherseals, glass run channels, soft grips, appliance gaskets and plumbing seals. In short: EPDM replacement, reprocessable; best compression set in TPE family; self-bonds to polypropylene.
What is the tensile strength of TPV A55?
TPV A55 has a typical tensile strength of 4 MPa (0.595 ksi) — weaker than 82% of polymer grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 12 listed tempers.
Is TPV A55 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (25/100, worse than 93% of polymer grades). Soft and tacky: use sharp single-edge tools, waterjet, or cryogenic (dry ice / liquid nitrogen) trimming. Die-cutting requires keen edges to avoid torn flanks.
Can TPV A55 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (75/100). Hot-plate, infrared, hot-gas and, for harder grades, ultrasonic welding all work. It self-bonds to PP in co-extrusion and two-shot moulding; bonding to PA or PC-ABS needs a dedicated bonding grade or mechanical interlock.
What surface finishes work on TPV A55?
The surface is a matte rubber texture that is coloured with masterbatch. Not platable; flame or plasma treat before painting or printing. Laser marking works, using a white laser additive on black parts.
Can TPV A55 be formed, bent or molded?
Injection mould at 190-230 °C melt and 20-60 °C tool, with 80 °C drying for 2-3 h before processing. Shrinkage is anisotropic at 1.2-3 %; viscosity drops sharply under high shear, which suits thin-wall fast fill. Extrusion needs a 30:1 L/D screw and rapid water-bath sizing.
What is the maximum service temperature of TPV A55?
TPV A55 is rated for continuous use to about 115°C (239 °F), and briefly to 145°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 — ISO (2014)
- JIS K6418 Thermoplastic rubbers — Nomenclature and abbreviations — JSA (2007)
- ASTM D6821 / D412 / D395 / D624 test methods for TPV physical properties — ASTM (2021)
- Santoprene TPV 101 / 103 series product data sheets and processing guide — Celanese (ex-ExxonMobil) (2023)
- CAMPUS / UL Prospector TPE-V datasets — CWFG / UL (2024)
- Handbook of Thermoplastic Elastomers (Drobny) — dynamic vulcanization chapter — Elsevier (2014)
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.