Can TPV sheets for automotive parts remain stable during long-term use in automobiles?
Publish Time: 2025-11-14
Driven by the trends of lightweighting, environmental friendliness, and comfort upgrades in modern automobiles, thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), as a high-performance elastomer material, has been widely used in key components such as sealing strips, dust covers, cushioning pads, interior trim, and fluid piping. Among these, TPV sheets, with their excellent flexibility, processability, and rubber-like texture, have become an ideal alternative to traditional EPDM, silicone, or PVC.1. Weather Resistance: Resisting Extreme Temperatures and UV AgingAutomotive parts often face temperature cycling tests ranging from -40℃ to +125℃ or even higher. High-quality automotive-grade TPV sheets utilize dynamic vulcanization technology to highly cross-link EPDM particles and uniformly disperse them in a continuous PP phase, retaining the high elasticity of rubber while possessing the processing convenience of thermoplastics. Their low glass transition temperature allows them to remain flexible and less prone to cracking at low temperatures; at high temperatures, the cross-linked network inhibits molecular chain slippage, significantly reducing compression set. Meanwhile, the formula incorporates highly efficient hindered amine light stabilizers and UV absorbers, effectively decomposing free radicals, absorbing UV radiation, and preventing surface chalking, cracking, or fading. After 2000 hours of SAE J2527 xenon lamp aging test, high-quality TPV sheets still maintain over 90% of their tensile strength and elongation at break.2. Media Resistance: Resistant to Oil and Chemical CorrosionTPV components near the engine compartment or chassis may come into contact with engine oil, brake fluid, coolant, or de-icing salt. By adjusting the ENB content and PP/EPDM ratio in EPDM, resistance to non-polar oils can be significantly improved. Some high-end TPVs also incorporate maleic anhydride grafting modification or fluorinated additives to further enhance stability against polar media. Actual tests show that after immersion in ASTM standard oils at 150°C for 70 hours, the volume expansion rate of high-quality TPV can be controlled within 10%, far superior to ordinary TPE.3. Fatigue Resistance and Compression Set ControlAs seals or cushioning components, TPV sheets need to withstand compressive stress for extended periods. Insufficient rebound can lead to seal failure or abnormal noise. Automotive-grade TPV, reinforced with a high-density cross-linked vulcanization network and nanofillers, significantly reduces compression set, ensuring effective sealing even after tens of thousands of door openings and closings or vehicle vibrations. Furthermore, its dynamic mechanical properties show a stable loss factor over a wide temperature range, indicating low energy dissipation and excellent fatigue resistance.4. Environmental Protection and Long-Term Odor ControlIn-vehicle air quality is increasingly important. TPV itself contains no plasticizers, avoiding the hardening and odor problems caused by the leaching of traditional PVC after long-term use. Through vacuum devolatilization technology and low-VOC formulation design, automotive-grade TPV sheets meet stringent odor and fogging standards, ensuring a "new car smell" for ten years.5. Full Lifecycle Verification SystemOEMs implement full-chain verification of TPV materials from raw materials to actual vehicle installation: including thermal aging, thermal shock, ozone resistance, damp heat resistance, and real-vehicle road testing. Only after passing all tests can mass production and application proceed.
TPV sheets for automotive components, thanks to their scientific material structure, precise formulation control, and stringent verification standards, can maintain a high degree of consistency in physical properties, chemical stability, and sensory quality throughout long-term automotive use. They are not only practitioners of lightweighting but also guardians of reliability, continuously providing solid material support for a smart, green, and comfortable future of mobility.
