Introduction and application of Dow OBC
What Are OBC Materials?
Unlike conventional random copolymers, OBC materials feature distinct hard and soft segments in their polymer structure, enabling manufacturers to achieve a balance between elasticity, toughness, temperature resistance, and processability.
OBC materials are widely used in flexible packaging, automotive parts, shoe soles, cables, medical devices, and as polymer modifiers.
Properties of OBC Materials
1. Excellent resistance to high and low temperatures
The figure on the left shows the relationship between the hardness of a thermoplastic elastomer and temperature.
Across a relatively wide temperature range, DOW OBC exhibits the smallest change in hardness after foaming, followed by POE material, while EVA foam shows the greatest change in hardness.
In environments below 0°C, the change in hardness of OBC material is significantly less than that of EVA, effectively ensuring the comfort and traction of OBC soles in low-temperature environments.
2. Excellent resilience
Due to the unique molecular chain structure of OBC material, its resilience is significantly higher than that of other elastomer materials.
As shown in the figure on the left, this test compares the rebound properties of foam balls made from different materials. Among them, INFUSE OBCs (olefin block copolymers) demonstrate exceptional rebound performance, outperforming both EVA and foamed TPU. They are particularly suitable for high-rebound shoe soles and diaper waistbands.
3. Fatigue Resistance and Permanent Recovery Properties
The figure on the left compares the rebound properties of thermoplastic elastomer materials after repeated stamping. Test conditions: constant pressure of 180 lb; constant frequency of 1.7 Hz; temperature of 40°C.
The test results show that the DOW INFUSE OBCs I1907 and I9100 exhibit excellent resilience; their recovery rate after repeated compression cycles reaches over 87%. Although this is slightly lower than that of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), the resilience value of the resulting foam reaches 64%, which is higher than that of TPU resin.
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Comparison of OBC Materials with Other Elastomers
| DOW OBCs | EVA | POE | SEBS, SNS | TPV | PVC | |
| Compressive Strain | High | Low | Medium | Medium | Medium | Low |
| Low-temperature resistance | High | Low | High | Medium | Medium | Low |
| High-temperature resistant | High | Low | Medium | Medium | High | Low |
| Texture | Soft | Soft | Soft | Soft | Meidum | Meidum |
| Density | Low | High | Low | Medium | High | Medium |
| Price | Medium | Low | Medium | Medium | High | Low |
| Smell | No | Pungent Odor | Minor | Minor | Pungent Odor | Minor |
| Processability | Easy | Easy | Medium | Medium | Difficult | Easy |