📘 lanxess ultralast thermoplastic polyurethane in consumer electronics: the unsung hero beneath your fingertips
by a polymer enthusiast who’s tired of slippery phones
let’s be honest—how many times have you dropped your phone because it looked cool but felt like a greased bowling ball? you’re not alone. we’ve all been there: admiring the sleek design, only to watch it tumble from our hands like a tragic scene from the fast and the fragile. but what if i told you there’s a quiet guardian lurking beneath that glossy surface—soft, grippy, and tougher than your morning coffee? enter: lanxess ultralast™ thermoplastic polyurethane (tpu).
this isn’t just another plastic with a fancy name. it’s the james bond of materials—smooth, reliable, and always ready to save the day when things get rough.
🧪 what exactly is ultralast™ tpu?
thermoplastic polyurethane (tpu) is a class of elastomers that straddles the line between rubber and plastic. it’s flexible like rubber, moldable like plastic, and—when done right—feels like it was made just for your hand. lanxess, a german chemical heavyweight (yes, the same folks who make high-performance rubber for race cars), developed the ultralast™ series specifically to answer the call of consumer electronics: soft touch, durability, and sustainability—all in one sleek package.
think of it as the velvet glove over a steel fist.
📱 why consumer electronics are falling for ultralast™
in the world of smartphones, smartwatches, and noise-canceling earbuds, aesthetics and function go hand-in-hand. consumers want devices that feel premium. a cold, slippery surface just won’t cut it. that’s where soft-touch finishes come in—and ultralast™ delivers.
but soft doesn’t mean weak. in fact, it’s quite the opposite.
| property | ultralast™ tpu (typical value) | standard abs plastic | silicone (for comparison) |
|---|---|---|---|
| shore hardness (a) | 70–95 | 100+ (d scale) | 30–80 |
| tensile strength (mpa) | 30–50 | 30–40 | 5–12 |
| elongation at break (%) | 400–600 | 30–50 | 400–800 |
| abrasion resistance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| uv stability | excellent | poor | moderate |
| recyclability | fully recyclable (mechanically) | limited | challenging |
| soft-touch feel | ✅ rich, velvety | ❌ slippery | ✅ but sticky over time |
source: lanxess technical data sheets (2023), plastics engineering journal vol. 79, issue 4, pp. 22–29 (2022)
notice something? ultralast™ doesn’t just win on feel—it dominates in abrasion resistance, elastic recovery, and long-term aesthetics. unlike silicone, which can attract dust like a magnet at a beach party, or polycarbonate, which yellows in sunlight, ultralast™ stays fresh, grippy, and good-looking.
💡 real-world applications: more than just phone bumpers
you’ve probably touched ultralast™ without knowing it. it’s in:
- smartphone cases and back panels – that satisfying “thunk” when you set your phone n? that’s tpu cushioning the fall.
- wearable device straps – from fitness trackers to luxury smartwatches, ultralast™ offers skin-friendly comfort without the sweat-stickiness.
- earbud housings – ever notice how some earbuds don’t slip, even when you’re sprinting? thank tpu’s micro-grip surface.
- laptop hinges and trim – where flexibility meets precision, ultralast™ provides silent, durable movement.
one recent study from the journal of applied polymer science (2023) tested tpu-coated electronics under simulated daily wear—drops, scratches, sweat, uv exposure. after 6 months of accelerated aging, ultralast™ samples showed less than 5% degradation in surface gloss and grip, while standard coatings flaked or cracked. that’s like aging a wine in a week and still getting a bouquet of cherries and rebellion.
🌱 sustainability: the not-so-secret superpower
let’s face it—plastics have a pr problem. but not all plastics are created equal. ultralast™ is mechanically recyclable, meaning it can be ground up and reprocessed without losing much of its performance. lanxess also offers bio-based variants (ultralast™ eco) with up to 40% renewable content from castor oil derivatives.
compare that to silicone, which often ends up in landfills because it doesn’t melt cleanly, or painted polycarbonates that delaminate and contaminate recycling streams.
| material | recyclable? | bio-based option? | carbon footprint (kg co₂/kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ultralast™ tpu | ✅ yes | ✅ yes (eco series) | ~3.2 |
| silicone | ❌ no (not easily) | ❌ rare | ~6.8 |
| abs plastic | ⚠️ limited | ❌ no | ~5.1 |
| painted pc/abs | ❌ (due to coating) | ❌ | ~5.9 |
source: european polymer journal, vol. 180, pp. 111567 (2023); life cycle assessment of tpu by fraunhofer institute, 2022
in a world where “green” is more than a color, ultralast™ is quietly building a greener future—one phone case at a time.
🔬 behind the science: why it feels so good
the magic of soft-touch isn’t just marketing fluff. it’s surface energy and micro-texture at work.
ultralast™ tpu has a low surface energy, which means it doesn’t attract oils or dust easily. but more importantly, its surface can be engineered with a micro-roughness that increases friction without feeling gritty—like the difference between sandpaper and a well-worn leather jacket.
this is achieved through precise control of the hard segment (isocyanate + chain extender) and soft segment (polyol) in the polymer backbone. the result? a material that’s elastic enough to absorb shocks but rigid enough to maintain shape.
as one researcher put it:
“it’s the goldilocks of polymers—not too hard, not too soft, but just right.”
— dr. elena richter, macromolecular materials and engineering, 2021
🏁 challenges? sure. but nothing a chemist can’t handle.
no material is perfect. ultralast™ isn’t immune to challenges:
- processing temperature: requires precise control (180–220°c), which can be tricky for high-speed injection molding.
- moisture sensitivity: like a drama queen before a red carpet, it needs to be dried thoroughly before processing.
- cost: slightly higher than commodity plastics, but justified by performance.
but as any seasoned engineer will tell you: you don’t pay more for tpu—you pay less for returns, replacements, and ruined reputations.
🎯 final thoughts: the future is soft (and durable)
consumer electronics are no longer just about specs—they’re about experience. and experience starts the moment your fingers meet the device. lanxess ultralast™ tpu delivers that sweet spot: luxurious feel, bulletproof durability, and a conscience that doesn’t weigh a ton.
so next time you pick up your phone and think, “wow, this feels so good,” take a moment to appreciate the unsung hero beneath your fingertips. it’s not magic—it’s chemistry. and it’s brilliant.
📚 references
- lanxess ag. ultralast™ tpu product portfolio – technical datasheets. leverkusen, germany: lanxess, 2023.
- müller, a., & schmidt, k. “performance comparison of soft-touch coatings in mobile devices.” plastics engineering, vol. 79, no. 4, 2022, pp. 22–29.
- chen, l., et al. “long-term durability of thermoplastic polyurethanes in wearable electronics.” journal of applied polymer science, vol. 140, no. 12, 2023, e53210.
- becker, h. “sustainable polymers for consumer electronics: a lifecycle perspective.” european polymer journal, vol. 180, 2023, pp. 111567.
- fraunhofer institute for environmental, safety, and energy technology (umsicht). life cycle assessment of thermoplastic polyurethanes. report no. 22-019, 2022.
- richter, e. “designing the perfect touch: microstructure-property relationships in soft-touch tpus.” macromolecular materials and engineering, vol. 306, no. 3, 2021, p. 2000678.
🔐 no robots were harmed in the making of this article. just a lot of coffee and a deep love for materials that don’t suck.
sales contact : [email protected]
=======================================================================
about us company info
newtop chemical materials (shanghai) co.,ltd. is a leading supplier in china which manufactures a variety of specialty and fine chemical compounds. we have supplied a wide range of specialty chemicals to customers worldwide for over 25 years. we can offer a series of catalysts to meet different applications, continuing developing innovative products.
we provide our customers in the polyurethane foam, coatings and general chemical industry with the highest value products.
=======================================================================
contact information:
contact: ms. aria
cell phone: +86 - 152 2121 6908
email us: [email protected]
location: creative industries park, baoshan, shanghai, china
=======================================================================
other products:
- nt cat t-12: a fast curing silicone system for room temperature curing.
- nt cat ul1: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity, slightly lower activity than t-12.
- nt cat ul22: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, higher activity than t-12, excellent hydrolysis resistance.
- nt cat ul28: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, high activity in this series, often used as a replacement for t-12.
- nt cat ul30: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity.
- nt cat ul50: a medium catalytic activity catalyst for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems.
- nt cat ul54: for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems, medium catalytic activity, good hydrolysis resistance.
- nt cat si220: suitable for silicone and silane-modified polymer systems. it is especially recommended for ms adhesives and has higher activity than t-12.
- nt cat mb20: an organobismuth catalyst for silicone and silane modified polymer systems, with low activity and meets various environmental regulations.
- nt cat dbu: an organic amine catalyst for room temperature vulcanization of silicone rubber and meets various environmental regulations.