Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is a melt-processable thermoplastic elastomer with high durability and flexibility. It provides several physical and chemical property combinations for demanding applications. Some examples include:
automotive,
wires and cables,
breathable films for leisure, sports, and textile coatings,
weatherable, non-yellowing films, etc.
It has properties between the characteristics of plastic and rubber. Thanks to its thermoplastic nature, it has several benefits over other elastomers are unable to match, such as:
excellent tensile strength,
high elongation at break, and
good load bearing capacity
The discovery of TPU occurred in 1937 by Otto Bayer and his coworkers. It took place at the laboratories of I.G. Farben in Leverkusen, Germany.