Views: 39 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2025-06-19 Origin: Site
TPU foamed material can also be called E - TPU material, “popcorn”, etc. It is a product processed from thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer.
It is produced by putting TPU particles, foaming agents and other additives into a sealed reaction kettle. Under certain temperature and pressure, TPU foamed beads are produced through pressurization and decompression methods. Generally, carbon dioxide is used for foaming, so it can also be called the trendy fluid.
Before foaming:
After foaming:
The technology is relatively simple, and the equipment threshold is low. There are several domestic manufacturers. However, there are various factors such as the need to select polyether - type raw materials, the need for explosion - proof equipment, and a high scrap rate of materials. The price of E - TPU has always been high.
The applications of E - TPU are mainly in shoe materials, runway filling, etc. E - TPU beads with different particle sizes and expansion ratios are foamed according to needs.
Example 1 of E - TPU application
Example 2 of E - TPU application
Example 3 of E - TPU application
Compared with BASF’s BOOST, there is still a certain gap in quality, but the gap is not very large, similar to the gap between domestic cars and imported cars. Domestic cars have high cost - performance, while imported cars are expensive but have stable quality!
As the question states, TPU foamed material is actually a new type of polymer material composed of countless elastic and lightweight TPU foamed balls. After foaming, the volume of this granular material expands 5 - 8 times. The diameter of the cells is only about 30 to 300 microns. Its size and shape are the same as popcorn. With a density of 0.15 - 0.25 grams per cubic centimeter, people can hardly feel its weight. Therefore, it is vividly called “popcorn” in the industry. It overcomes the shortcomings of TPU raw materials, such as heavy weight, high hardness, and poor shock - absorption performance. At the same time, it is lighter in weight, more breathable, environmentally friendly, wear - resistant, highly elastic, and resistant to yellowing. It is the in - sole material for sports shoes of international well - known brands.
I came into contact with this material at an exhibition and tried on shoes made of this TPU foamed material. At that time, it was a new type of TPU foamed material from a company called HuaDong. They displayed the foamed TPU particles, and I still remember it clearly. Personally, I think they combined the characteristics of TPU with the advantages of foam. It makes up for some of the shortcomings of TPU foamed material soles, such as heavy weight, high hardness, and poor shock - absorption performance, making running more comfortable and the body more relaxed. According to their introduction, the soles, insoles, and mid - soles made of the new TPU foamed material developed by Greenmover Company are widely praised in the industry.
In the past two years, TPU foamed material has been very popular. As an industry practitioner on the periphery of shoe materials, I can personally feel the strong pursuit of this material by shoe material manufacturers and producers. Frankly speaking, if it weren’t for Adidas’ boost series, this material wouldn’t have received so much attention. But in terms of the material itself, it combines aesthetics and stability, creating infinite possibilities for design. Moreover, Greenmover is considered one of the best in the TPU foamed material field.
You can visit their official website to learn more about this material.
Example of shoes made of TPU foamed material
