Engineered thermoplastic polyurethane (ETPU) is an advanced foam material that combines the characteristics of engineering plastics and thermoplastic polyurethane. Through a unique foaming process, it forms a uniform and fine closed-cell structure inside the material, giving it excellent physical properties and wide application prospects.

I  Advantages of ETPU

1. Excellent elasticity and shock absorption: ETPU has excellent resilience, able to quickly recover its original shape after being impacted by external force. This characteristic makes ETPU perform well in shock absorption and cushioning, effectively absorbing and dispersing impact forces.

2. Lightweight and durable: Compared to traditional foam materials, ETPU has lower density and lighter weight while maintaining excellent durability. This gives it a significant advantage in applications that require lightweight and durable materials.

3. Good temperature adaptability: ETPU can maintain good performance in a wide temperature range. Whether in low or high-temperature environments, it can maintain its elasticity and shock absorption performance.

4. Eco-friendly and recyclable: The waste generated during the production and use of ETPU can be recycled and reused, reducing the negative impact on the environment and aligning with the concept of sustainable development.

5. Processable and moldable: ETPU has good thermoplasticity and fluidity, making it easy to be molded into various shapes and sizes through processes such as injection molding and extrusion.

Ⅱ Applications of ETPU

1. Footwear and Sporting Equipment: ETPU is widely used in the field of athletic footwear, as its exceptional elasticity and shock absorption capabilities can enhance the comfort and protection of athletic footwear. ETPU is  also used to manufacture cushioning pads and protective gear for sporting equipment. It is worth noting that since the restrictions on ETPU have been lifted, despite its lack of innovation and Adidas’ brand effect to some extent limiting its rapid growth in the footwear industry, its outstanding performance will still bring certain market opportunities. Despite some challenges and limitations, with continuous technological advancements and further market expansion, ETPU is expected to achieve steady growth in the footwear industry and bring more innovation and opportunities to the industry.

2. Transportation: In the transportation sector, ETPU plays a crucial role and is widely used in various aspects such as automotive interior padding, bicycle seats, and marine fenders and cushioning components. Its excellent environmental safety, lightweight, superior elasticity, toughness, resistance to deformation, temperature resistance, and fatigue resistance make it an ideal cushioning material for automotive interior padding. Its application not only effectively reduces friction and noise between components but also significantly reduces overall weight, contributing to improved fuel economy and driving performance. The use of ETPU also helps to reduce noise and harmful gas emissions, making it an excellent representative of shock damping and seat padding materials. In the case of bicycle seats, the use of ETPU provides better elasticity and lighter weight, while maintaining excellent resistance to deformation, resulting in a more comfortable cycling experience and reducing the burden on the body during long rides. For marine fenders and cushioning components, ETPU exhibits low permanent compression deformation, along with excellent durability and strength, improving the safety and lifespan of the vessels during navigation.

3. Construction: In the construction industry, ETPU is used in plastic runways. Runways made of ETPU have good flatness, high compressive strength, wear resistance, and temperature resistance. ETPU’s unique energy absorption and transmission characteristics effectively protect joints and prevent body injuries.

4. Furniture: In the furniture industry, ETPU stands out due to its environmental friendliness and innocuity, as well as its exceptional impact absorption and energy feedback. As an ideal filling material for furniture such as mattresses and sofas, ETPU not only provides excellent comfort and support but also maintains high elasticity and shape stability for long-term use, offering a durable and comfortable experience for users.

Ⅲ Limitations of ETPU in Footwear Sector

The application of ETPU in the footwear sector is limited to some extent, and currently, it isn’t dominant in terms of usage. This is mainly attributed to the following two factors:

1) High cost: Cost is one of the key factors restricting the large-scale application of ETPU. Compared to traditional foam materials for footwear, the production cost of ETPU is higher, directly leading to an increase in product prices, which limits its popularity in the mid-to-low-end market.

2) Lack of innovation and heavy brand influence from Adidas: ETPU “popcorn” material has certain limitations in design, resulting in footwear styles that tend to be similar and lack uniqueness and differentiation. The characteristics of this material make it difficult to be shaped into diverse forms and appearances, difficult to break through traditional frameworks in design, and easily leading people to associate it with the classic styles of Adidas. However, in today’s footwear market, major brands are actively pursuing originality, a sense of technology, high quality, and differentiation. In this context, the limitations of popcorn material become more prominent.

Ⅳ Future Demand for PTMEG in the ETPU Industry

PTMEG is an important raw material in the production of ETPU, mainly used in reaction with isocyanates to produce the soft segment of ETPU. The molecular structure of ETPU is composed of soft and hard segments, with the soft segment mainly provided by PTMEG and other polyols, and the hard segment provided by isocyanates. Therefore, PTMEG has a significant impact on the performance of ETPU.

The effective demand for PTMEG in the ETPU industry is difficult to significantly increase in the near future. The application of specialty TPU in the market is relatively limited, with a market share of only about 12%, and ETPU, as a type of specialty TPU, also has relatively limited usage. In addition, the production of ETPU requires high-quality PTMEG. However, the supply of high-quality PTMEG is relatively tight, which further limits the potential application and development space of PTMEG in the ETPU field in the short term. Therefore, although ETPU has many superior performance and application prospects, it is difficult to significantly boost its effective demand for PTMEG in the near future.