Applications
Texin 990AR resin offers outstanding abrasion resistance, impact strength, toughness, and flexibility. It also exhibits excellent hydrolytic stability, and exceptional mold release characteristics. Texin 990AR natural color resin complies with FDA food-contact regulations 21 CFR 177.1680 (Polyurethane Resins) and 177.2600 (Rubber Articles Intended for Repeated Use), subject to the limitations of these and any other applicable regulations. It is also listed under NSF Standard 61 for use in potable water applications. Typical applications include belting, hose, seals and gaskets, tubing, cable jackets, hose jackets, athletic soles, casters, film, extruded profiles, and miscellaneous molded articles. As with any product, use of Texin 990AR resin in a given application must be tested (including field testing, etc.) in advance by the user to determine suitability.
Storage
Texin thermoplastic polyurethane resins are hygroscopic and will absorb ambient moisture. The presence of moisture can adversely affect processing characteristics and the quality of parts. Therefore, the resins should remain in their sealed containers and be stored under cool and dry conditions until used. Storage temperature should not exceed 86°F (30°C). Unused resin from opened containers, or reground material that is not to be used immediately, should be stored in sealed containers
Processing
Prior to processing, Texin 990AR resin must be thoroughly dried in a desiccant dehumidifying hopper dryer. Hopper inlet air temperature should be 180°–210°F (82°–99°C). To achieve the recommended moisture content of less than 0.03%, the inlet air dew point should be -20°F (-29°C) or lower. The hopper capacity should be sufficient to provide a minimum residence time of 4 hours. Additional information on drying procedures is available in the brochure - General Drying Guide.
Texin 990AR may be easily processed on commercially available equipment suitable for injection molding of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers. The recommended screw length-to-diameter (L/D) ratio is 20:1 with a compression ratio of 2.5–3:1. Screws with a compression ratio greater than 4:1 should be avoided. Typical starting conditions are noted below. Actual processing conditions will depend on machine size, mold design, material residence time, etc.
Additional information on injection molding may be obtained by consulting the publication: Texin and Desmopan Thermoplastic Polyurethanes — A Processing Guide for Injection Molding and by contacting a Covestro technical service representative.
Texin 990AR resin possesses a satisfactory melt strength and can be controlled over a wide range of temperature conditions to produce tubing, sheet, and extruded profiles. Typical starting conditions are noted below. Actual processing conditions vary and are dependent on size of extruders, extrusion rate, part geometry, etc.
The preferred screw design should have a compression ratio of 3:1 and should feature a long, gradual transition zone and a long meter zone. The recommended length- to-diameter (L/D) ratio is at least 24:1. Typical recommendations for 3:1 compression ratio screws on various sizes of 24:1 L/D extruders are given in the table below. Additional information on extrusion may be obtained by consulting the publication: Texin and Desmopan Thermoplastic Polyurethanes - A Processing Guide for Extrusion and by contacting a Covestro technical service representative.
Where end-use requirements permit, up to 20% Texin resin regrind may be used with virgin material, provided that the material is kept free of contamination and is properly dried (see section on Drying). Any regrind used must be generated from properly molded/extruded parts, sprues, runners, trimmings, and/or films. All regrind used must be clean, uncontaminated, and thoroughly blended with virgin resin prior to drying and processing. Under no circumstances should degraded, discolored, or contaminated material be used for regrind. Materials of this type should be properly discarded. Improperly mixed and/or dried regrind may diminish the desired properties of Texin resin. It is critical that you test finished parts produced with any amount of regrind to ensure that your end-use performance requirements are fully met. Regulatory or testing organizations (e.g., Underwriter's Laboratories) may have specific requirements limiting the allowable amount of regrind. Because third party regrind generally does not have a traceable heat history or offer any assurance that proper temperatures, conditions, and/or materials were used in processing, extreme caution must be exercised in buying and using regrind from third parties. The use of regrind material should be avoided entirely in those applications where resin properties equivalent to virgin material are required, including but not limited to color quality, impact strength, resin purity, and/or load-bearing performance.
* This table shows property changes for Texin 990AR resin after exposure to hot air, oil, and fuel. As is the case with any compatibility test, the results are dependent on variables, such as concentration, time, temperature, part design, and residual stresses, and should serve only as a guideline. It is imperative that production parts be evaluated under actual application conditions prior to commercial use.
