TPEs enhance comfort in optical applications

In today’s fast-paced, digital world, electronic devices are dominating our work, play, and daily habits as we seek speed, accuracy, and convenience when performing tasks such as online buying, trading, or banking.

While everything can be done with the tap of a finger, the extra screen time spent on electronic devices can be detrimental to eye health. It is not surprising that because of excessive and sustained use of such devices, ocular disorders are becoming more common, necessitating corrective vision care and use of optical aids to improve vision.

Meanwhile, innovations in the development and manufacturing of optical devices have resulted in the use of advanced engineering materials such as thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) for their build, enabling market-required features such as lightweight, comfort, and safety.

KRAIBURG TPE, a global thermoplastic elastomer manufacturer with a broad range of products and custom solutions for a range of industries, offers the THERMOLAST® K series of TPE compounds for optical equipment applications.

TPEs add clarity to optical devices  

KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST® K FC/AD/PA compounds meet the performance and design standards for optical devices, including grips and handles applications on reading glasses, magnifying glasses, hand-held mirrors, and scanning devices.

The FC/AD/PA series complies with food-contact regulations, including Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 and US FDA CFR 21, allowing for safety of use.

Furthermore, the compounds have excellent adhesion to nylons such as PA6, PA6.6 (up to 50% glass fiber content), and PA12, providing design flexibility in multi-component injection molding.  

Due to the excellent abrasion resistance feature, which enhances the materials' durability, the compounds are suitable for use on handles and grips of optical devices such as hand-held mirrors, magnifying glasses and scanning devices.

Outstanding features of compounds

In the THERMOLAST® K series are the VS/AD/HM compounds. With properties such as a velvety surface and wear, scratch and abrasion resistance as well as resistance to chemicals, sebum, and oils, the TPE compounds are ideal for a variety of applications, such as nose pads and temple tips of reading glasses and safety goggles.

Also, the high-quality, custom-engineered TPE compounds adhere well to polar thermoplastics such as PA6, PA12, PC, ABS, PC/ABS, ASA, and SAN, allowing for a multitude of design options.

Overall, KRAIBURG TPE’s THERMOLAST® K series is a good choice for products that need to have an aesthetic appeal since it can be pre-colored according to customer requests.