Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) were commercially introduced in the 1960s as polymer materials that combine the processability and recyclability of thermoplastics with the characteristic properties of vulcanized rubbers, such as elasticity and flexibility. Over the years, many different types of TPE materials have been developed, with the various chemical structures of the polymers giving the materials distinct properties (see figure below). These differences in chemical structure are indicated by the letters at the end of the designation (S stands for styrene‑based block copolymers, O for polyolefin‑based, A for polyamide‑based, and so on).
Despite the fact that these materials have been commercially available for more than half a century, knowledge and experience within the Interreg region Flanders–France–Wallonia remain limited regarding the processability of TPE materials and the additional properties these materials offer compared to commonly used thermoplastic materials. The Elast2Sustain project was preceded by the Interreg project Elasto‑Plast (2016–2021), which familiarized companies with the wide range of possibilities that thermoplastic elastomers offer to enhance product performance. Due to the strong interest expressed by the surveyed companies in sustainability, recycling of TPE materials, circularity, and the use of TPE recyclate, the Elast2Sustain project was launched. Within this project, three research pillars are defined: Mechanical recycling, Chemical recycling, Development of bio‑based TPE materials.
