Jun 13，2025 by Dawn Group

5 Ways TPV Solves Complex Sealing & Gasket Challenges

Introduction: The Sealing & Gasket Dilemma​

In industrial manufacturing, the design of seals and gaskets often faces many challenges. Although traditional rubber materials (such as EPDM and NBR) have good elasticity and sealing properties, their processing technology is complex, the design freedom is limited, and they are difficult to recycle, which restricts production efficiency and sustainability.
 
TPV (thermoplastic vulcanizate) is an innovative material that successfully combines the excellent mechanical properties of vulcanized rubber and the processing convenience of thermoplastics. This unique material property enables it to break through the limitations of traditional sealing solutions and bring new design possibilities to many fields such as automotive manufacturing, electronic equipment, and medical devices.

5 Key Ways TPV Transforms Sealing & Gasket Design

Complex Geometry Made Simple – Overmolding & Multi-Material Bonding

In the production of traditional rubber seals, the realization of complex geometric shapes often requires multiple processes and additional processing steps, which not only increases production costs but also prolongs the product development cycle. With its excellent thermoplastic processing characteristics, TPV materials can directly manufacture sealing components with fine textures, thin-walled structures and even three-dimensional hollow designs through standard injection molding processes.
 
More importantly, TPV has excellent chemical compatibility with a variety of engineering plastics (such as PP, PA, etc.), enabling seamless multi-material bonding. This feature allows designers to create more integrated composite parts, such as integrating sealing functions directly into plastic housings, thereby simplifying the assembly process and improving the overall performance of the product.

Weight Reduction Without Sacrificing Performance​

As the concept of lightweight design becomes more popular in various industries, the choice of materials has become particularly critical. Traditional rubber seals often become an obstacle to weight reduction design due to their high density. In contrast, TPV materials can achieve a 15-30% weight reduction while maintaining the same sealing performance, which is of great significance for weight-sensitive fields such as new energy vehicles and aerospace.
 
In practical applications, this weight reduction advantage is not only reflected in the final product, but also brings transportation cost savings and energy efficiency improvements. After rigorous laboratory testing and verification, TPV seals perform well in long-term compression set (ASTM D395 standard test), with the deformation rate controlled within 30%, fully meeting the durability requirements of seals for most industrial applications.

Extreme Environment Resilience – Beyond Standard TPEs​

TPV performs well in extreme environments, with a long-term operating temperature range of -40°C to 135°C, and can even withstand high temperatures of 150°C in the short term.

Sustainability & Cost Efficiency – Scrap Reuse & Faster Cycles

In a sustainable industrial environment, the environmental properties of materials are becoming increasingly important. The fully recyclable nature of TPV gives it an outstanding advantage in terms of environmental protection. The scraps and scrap parts generated during the production process can be directly recycled and put back into production through a simple regranulation process, with a material utilization rate of more than 95%.
 
From an economic benefit perspective, TPV's processing advantages are more obvious. Compared with the vulcanization process required for traditional rubber, TPV uses standard injection molding, and the cycle time can be shortened to about 30 seconds. This efficiency improvement not only reduces the cost per piece, but also significantly increases production capacity, creating considerable economic benefits for manufacturers.

Customization for Niche Requirements – From Medical to Food Grade

The flexibility of TPV formulation enables it to meet various special needs by adjusting the hardness (Shore A 30-90) and adding special additives.

Dawnprene TPV

  • Ranked 2nd globally and 1st in China in production capacity.
  • The only enterprise worldwide mastering integrated microcellular foaming TPV technology.
  • Established China's first fully pre-dispersed dynamic vulcanization TPV production line, awarded National Technology Invention Second Prize by the State Council.
  • Advanced equipment and MES ensure stable quality and high production efficiency.
  • Excellent resilience with thermoplastic processability, fully recyclable, energy-saving and environmentally friendly.
  • Developed 10 series with 500+ grades through the vulcanization R&D platform.

FAQ

Q1: Can TPV completely replace traditional rubber in seals and gaskets?​​

​​A:​​ Yes, in most applications. TPV combines the elasticity of vulcanized rubber with the processing ease of thermoplastics. It outperforms rubber in design flexibility, recyclability, and weight reduction, while matching its compression set and durability in temperatures up to 135°C. Exceptions include extremely high-temperature (>150°C) or high-pressure dynamic seals.

​​Q2: Is TPV recyclable? How does it support sustainability goals?​​

​​A:​​ TPV is 100% recyclable. Unlike thermoset rubber, TPV production scrap and post-consumer waste can be directly reprocessed via injection molding or extrusion. Dawn Group's TPV formulations also enable up to 30% weight reduction vs. rubber, reducing material use and transportation emissions.