The difference between material TPE and PVC

    Recently, many customers were asking about the TPE rain boots. But what is the differences between TPE and PVC rain shoes? Their appearance is similar, but the material is not quite the same. Today let’s compare these two materials.

1. Different performance

TPE is a thermoplastic elastomer material that has the high elasticity, high strength and high resilience of rubber. 

It does not contain plasticizers and is an environmentally friendly non-toxic material. PVC is polyvinyl chloride, and a plasticizer is added during processing. PVC products will 

slowly decompose hydrogen chloride gas at high temperatures, which is harmful to the  human body and easy to pollute the environment.

2. Different hardness

PVC is harder than TPE.

3. Hand feeling

TPE touchs soft, high elasticity and mild texture, but weak elasticity. PVC feels hard. Adding plasticizers can make plastic products soft and easy to bend.

4. Different combustion states

TPE: Aromatic smell, yellow flame and blue flame, fire source left to continue burning. 

PVC: chlorine odor, flame yellow-green, fire source left self-extinguishing. In terms of flame color, when TPE burns, the flame root is blue, while PVC is green.

5. Flammability

PVC in the absence of adding flame retardant materials, flame retardant is better than TPE. 

The flame retardant grade of TPE is UL94-HB, which burns in case of fire and is not extinguished after fire. 

The flame retardant grade of PVC is UL94-V2, with self-extinguishing. When the ignition source is removed, the flame will generally be extinguished.

6. Temperature resistant

TPE temperature resistance :-50~90℃; PVC temperature resistance :-10~80℃; TPE has better cold resistance and high temperature resistance than PVC, but PVC has higher

chemical resistance, corrosion resistance and ozone resistance.

So they have different characteristics, and suitable for different environments, you can choose according to demand.