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BS EN ISO 14910 — Thermoplastic Polyester/Ester and Polyether/Ester Elastomers for Moulding and Extrusion Standard Series
Thermoplastic Polyester/Ester and Polyether/Ester Elastomers for Moulding and Extrusion (2013 Edition)
🧊 BS EN ISO 14910 is the foundational standard for thermoplastic polyester/ester and polyether/ester elastomers (i.e., thermoplastic polyester elastomers, TPEE), developed jointly by ISO/TC 61 “Plastics” and CEN/TC 249 and published in the UK by BSI as a British Standard. The series specifies the designation system and basis for specification and the preparation of test specimens and determination of properties of TPEE, providing a unified basis for grade identification, procurement specification, quality inspection, and engineering design.
💡 TPEE combines rubber-like elasticity with the processability of plastics and is widely used in automotive, electronics, and sporting goods. Standardized designation and property determination make materials from different suppliers and batches comparable and traceable.
1. Series Overview 📌
The BS EN ISO 14910 series comprises two parts, both published by BSI in 2013. Part 1 specifies the designation system and basis for specification; Part 2 specifies preparation of test specimens and determination of properties. UK participation was entrusted to Technical Committee PRI/82 (Thermoplastic materials). Part 2 implemented an ISO corrected text in 2016 (updating Figure 1 and Table 4).
2. Series Structure and Scope 🧩
The parts and their scopes are shown below. The series applies to TPEE moulding and extrusion materials.
| Standard | Title | Core Content | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS EN ISO 14910-1:2013 | Plastics — Thermoplastic polyester/ester and polyether/ester elastomers for moulding and extrusion — Part 1: Designation system and basis for specification | Designation system (grade structure), property classification, and specification data-table basis | Material grade identification, procurement specification |
| BS EN ISO 14910-2:2013 | Plastics — Thermoplastic polyester/ester and polyether/ester elastomers for moulding and extrusion — Part 2: Preparation of test specimens and determination of properties | Injection/compression specimen preparation; hardness, tensile, flexural, and thermal property determination | Property inspection, quality assessment, design input |
⚠️ The designation system is the basis of specification: the TPEE grade is composed of material type, hardness, melt flow rate, and other characteristics. Grades from different suppliers can only be compared directly under the same designation system; verify the complete designation and property data table when purchasing.
3. Designation System and Basis for Specification (Part 1) 🔍
BS EN ISO 14910-1 specifies the designation system for TPEE, mainly covering:
- Designation structure: a grade composed of polymer abbreviation (e.g., TPEE), material type, hardness class, melt flow rate, and other characteristic items.
- Characteristic coding: coding of characteristics such as hardness (e.g., Shore D value) and melt flow rate (MFR).
- Specification data table: provides the basis for designation, giving values or ranges for each property to enable material specification.
- Relation to properties: characteristic items in the designation correspond to Part 2 test methods, ensuring consistency between designation and actual properties.
4. Test Specimen Preparation and Property Determination (Part 2) ⚖️
BS EN ISO 14910-2 specifies methods for preparing test specimens and determining properties of TPEE:
- Specimen preparation: injection moulding, compression moulding, conditioning, and test atmosphere.
- Hardness: Shore hardness determination.
- Tensile properties: tensile strength, elongation at break, and elastic modulus.
- Flexural and thermal properties: flexural modulus, heat deflection temperature (HDT), etc.
- Other properties: melt flow rate, density, compression set, etc.
| Property | Typical Method Basis | Engineering Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Hardness | Shore hardness (A/D) | Elastomer softness, sealing suitability |
| Tensile properties | Tensile strength, elongation, modulus | Elasticity, load bearing, durability |
| Flexural properties | Flexural modulus | Stiffness, structural applications |
| Thermal properties | HDT, melt flow rate | Temperature resistance, processability |
✅ Practical value: Part 2 unifies specimen preparation and property determination conditions, making results from different laboratories comparable; Part 1’s designation corresponds to Part 2’s properties, forming a complete material specification system.
5. Engineering Practice 🛠️
- 🔍 Material selection: select a TPEE grade by hardness, temperature resistance, elasticity, and processability, verifying the designation and property data table.
- 🔧 Process setting: TPEE is moisture-sensitive and must be thoroughly dried before injection moulding/extrusion; verify properties per Part 2 to confirm the process.
- 📊 Incoming inspection: sample-check hardness, tensile, and melt index per the designation and specification sheet.
- 📋 Design input: use standard-determined properties (modulus, hardness, temperature resistance) as input parameters for elastomer structural design and CAE analysis.
6. Processing and Performance Factors 🔧
The processing and application performance of TPEE is strongly affected by moisture, temperature, and shear history. Polyester-type elastomers are prone to hydrolytic degradation in the molten state, causing molecular-weight loss and property deterioration, so they must be thoroughly dried before injection moulding and extrusion (typically to a moisture content below 0.02% or lower). Processing temperature should be kept within the recommended range to avoid thermal-oxidative degradation.
- 💧 Drying: dry at the supplier-recommended temperature and time to prevent hydrolysis.
- 🌡️ Melt temperature: keep barrel and nozzle temperature in the recommended window to avoid decomposition.
- 🔄 Shear and residence time: control screw speed and residence time to avoid excessive shear.
- 🧊 Mould temperature and cooling: set the mould temperature appropriately to control crystallinity and shrinkage for dimensional stability.
For property determination, follow the conditioning and test conditions of Part 2 so that results reflect intrinsic material properties rather than processing history. For applications requiring high elasticity, fatigue resistance, and temperature resistance, combine the material designation (hardness, melt index) with measured properties for material selection.
7. Frequently Asked Questions ❓
❓ Q: How does TPEE differ from ordinary thermoplastic elastomers (TPE/TPU)?
A: TPEE is a polyester-type elastomer with higher temperature resistance, oil resistance, and mechanical strength; it is often selected over TPU/TPE by performance needs, with designation and property testing per this series.
A: TPEE is a polyester-type elastomer with higher temperature resistance, oil resistance, and mechanical strength; it is often selected over TPU/TPE by performance needs, with designation and property testing per this series.
❓ Q: Why include hardness and melt flow rate in the designation?
A: Hardness reflects material softness (elasticity) and melt flow rate reflects processability and molecular weight — key characteristics for material differentiation and process selection.
A: Hardness reflects material softness (elasticity) and melt flow rate reflects processability and molecular weight — key characteristics for material differentiation and process selection.
❓ Q: Why is conditioning required before property testing?
A: TPEE properties are affected by temperature, humidity, and internal stress; conditioning per the standard (temperature, humidity, time) ensures comparable and reproducible results.
A: TPEE properties are affected by temperature, humidity, and internal stress; conditioning per the standard (temperature, humidity, time) ensures comparable and reproducible results.
🔍 Q: How does this series link to ISO 18064 and other naming standards?
A: This series builds on plastic designation foundations such as ISO 1043 and coordinates with ISO 18064 (thermoplastic elastomer designation), forming the plastic material designation and specification system.
A: This series builds on plastic designation foundations such as ISO 1043 and coordinates with ISO 18064 (thermoplastic elastomer designation), forming the plastic material designation and specification system.