Thermo-plastic elastomer (TPE) is an elastomer that also has properties of plastics. It is made of a mix of plastic and rubber polymers. This material is commonly used in sex toys. It is free of phthalates, latex and is non-porous. As a result, it is widely considered to be a body-safe material.
Thermoplastic elastomer may also be known as thermoplastic rubber (TPR).
More About Thermo-Plastic Elastomer
A thermo-plastic elastomer has three essential properties:
- The ability to stretch but still be able to return to near its original shape
- The ability to be processed at a high temperature as a liquid
- The absence of significant "creep," meaning that even under stress, a thermoplastic elastomer will maintain its solid shape
Thermo-plastics can be reused in many cases since at high temperatures they lose their shape and can be remoulded into another solid form.