
Hytrel is a type of thermoplastic elastomer, specifically a TPC-ET (thermoplastic polyester elastomer). It is a brand name owned by DuPont and is known for its flexibility in design and manufacturing. Hytrel is used in a wide range of applications, from automotive parts and cables to medical devices and electrical insulation. It offers excellent strength, flexibility, and resistance to high temperatures, fluids, and hydrocarbons. With its unique properties, Hytrel provides a versatile and durable solution for various industries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type | TPC-ET thermoplastic polyester elastomer |
| Properties | Good aging properties at high temperatures, good resilience, temperature and chemical resistance, strength and durability, flexibility |
| Industries | Medical, automotive, consumer, industrial |
| Grades | Hytrel® G (general purpose), Hytrel® (high performance), Hytrel® HTR (specialty), Hytrel® PC/SC (healthcare/medical), Hytrel® Concentrates |
| Hardness | Shore D hardness range from 30 to 80 |
| Processing Temperature | Between 175°C and 260°C depending on the polymer type |
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What You'll Learn

Hytrel is a thermoplastic elastomer
One of Hytrel's key advantages is its flexibility. It can flex in multiple directions, cycle after cycle, long after rubber would break. This makes it ideal for use in dynamic applications where repeated bending or twisting is required. Hytrel's flexibility is coupled with excellent flex fatigue resistance, ensuring that it maintains its flexibility over time.
Hytrel is a TPC-ET (thermoplastic polyester elastomer) and is known by the international acronym TEEE (thermoplastic elastomer ether ester). It comes in several different grades, each offering specific benefits. For example, some grades are heat stabilized, while others offer UV protection, hydrolysis resistance, or flame retardancy. Hytrel's versatility extends to its processing temperature, which ranges from 175°C to 260°C depending on the polymer type.
The mechanical properties of Hytrel are impressive. It offers good resilience, strength, and durability, along with excellent resistance to compression set and creep. Hytrel is also resistant to swelling in oils and hydrocarbons, a property that enhances its utility in certain applications. Its Shore hardness ranges from 30 to 80 (or 82, according to one source), which helps bridge the performance gap between rubbers and thermoplastics.
Hytrel is widely used in various industries. Its high viscosity grade, for example, is commonly employed in automotive parts, cables, and wires. It is also used in medical devices, electrical cabling insulation, mechanical gears, and sealing elements such as wipers and seals. With its combination of flexibility, strength, and resistance to various environmental factors, Hytrel offers designers and engineers a versatile and reliable material for their applications.
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It is a brand name for TPC-ET
Hytrel is a brand name for TPC-ET (thermoplastic polyester elastomer). It is a versatile thermoplastic elastomer resin that can flex in multiple directions, cycle after cycle, long after rubber breaks. Hytrel combines good resilience, temperature, and chemical resistance with strength and durability. It has good melt stability and a sharp melting point, with a processing range between 175°C and 260°C. Hytrel's Shore D hardness ranges from 30 to 80, which helps bridge the mechanical performance of rubbers and thermoplastics.
TPC-ET is produced by combining crystalline (hard) and amorphous (soft) segments. This combination offers the properties of thermoset elastomers with the processability and recyclability of thermoplastics. TPC-ET provides toughness, resilience, impact, creep and tear resistance, fatigue resistance, chemical resistance, and both high and low-temperature performance.
It can be processed by injection molding and extrusion methods and is commonly used in hoses, tubes, gaskets, animal tags, hose fittings, cables, trampoline fabric, furniture, automotive components, and specialty fibers.
Hytrel, as a brand of TPC-ET, is well-known for providing designers with flexible design and manufacturing solutions. It offers an extensive variety of grades and concentrates, making it ideal for specific applications. The properties of Hytrel can be further tuned by adding concentrates or pigments to suit particular requirements.
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It is used in automotive parts
Hytrel is a TPC-ET thermoplastic polyester elastomer that combines the flexibility of rubber, the strength of plastic, and the processibility of thermoplastic. It is a versatile thermoplastic elastomer resin that can flex in multiple directions, cycle after cycle, long after rubber breaks. It has good resilience, temperature resistance, and chemical resistance, as well as strength and durability.
Hytrel has been used in the automotive industry for over 30 years, providing solutions for various automotive parts. Its unique combination of properties makes it ideal for automotive applications. The high viscosity grade of Hytrel is commonly used in automotive parts, cables, and wires. This grade has a high melt strength that is suitable for extrusion and blow moulding processes.
One of the primary uses of Hytrel in automotive parts is in CVJ (constant velocity joint) boots, prop shaft boots, and rear-wheel-drive boots. Its flexibility and stiffness make it the perfect material for these applications, reducing the need for costly repairs. Additionally, Hytrel is the preferred material for chassis suspension systems, thanks to its optimal blend of flexibility and rigidity.
Hytrel is also used in automotive wire and cable applications due to its excellent grease and chemical resistance, making it suitable for under-bonnet installations. Furthermore, its high-temperature durability and low-temperature flexibility extend its applicability in various automotive components.
The versatility of Hytrel in design and manufacturing contributes to the production of lighter weight and lower-cost parts compared to rubbers and other elastomers. This makes Hytrel not only an economical but also a sustainable choice for automotive parts.
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It is eco-friendly and renewably sourced
Hytrel is a versatile and high-performance polymer that combines the flexibility of rubber with the strength and processability of plastic. It is well-known for its use in the design and manufacture of a diverse array of products. Interestingly, Hytrel also offers an eco-friendly and renewably sourced option, known as Hytrel ECO B. This innovative range delivers all the benefits of standard Hytrel while incorporating up to 60% of materials sourced from biomass. By replacing fossil-sourced polyether glycols with renewable alternatives made from plant feedstock, Hytrel ECO B achieves an improved ecological footprint without compromising performance.
The introduction of Hytrel ECO B by DuPont Mobility & Materials enhances the sustainability of the TPC-ET product family. These new grades are produced using renewable, plant-based raw materials, ensuring they do not compete with the food value chain. The proportion of renewable content can reach up to 72% by weight, showcasing a strong commitment to sustainability. Moreover, the entire production process of Hytrel ECO B utilizes electricity generated from 100% renewable sources, further reducing its environmental impact.
Hytrel ECO B is a testament to DuPont's response to the growing demand for resource-friendly polymers. By adopting the mass balance approach outlined in the ISCC PLUS standard, they offer customers transparency in their value chain as they pursue sustainability goals. This eco-friendly option is well-suited for applications in various industries, including automotive, wire and cable, and cosmetics.
The renewably sourced grades of Hytrel contribute to sustainable solutions for flexible polymer requirements. With its presence in consumer-facing goods, such as furniture and wearable technology, Hytrel showcases its versatility and eco-consciousness. By leveraging the innovation of the ECO B range, designers can create products with sustainability in mind, benefiting from the unique combination of flexibility, strength, and durability that Hytrel offers.
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It is ideal for flexible design solutions
Hytrel is a versatile thermoplastic elastomer resin that can flex in multiple directions, cycle after cycle, long after rubber breaks. It is a TPC-ET (thermoplastic polyester elastomer) with good ageing properties at high temperatures. Its flexibility, strength, temperature and chemical resistance, and durability make it ideal for flexible design solutions.
Hytrel is available in a wide variety of grades, including heat-stabilized, UV-protected, hydrolysis-resistant, and flame-retardant. It can be processed between 175°C and 260°C, depending on the polymer type, and has a Shore D hardness range of 30 to 80 (or 82, according to another source). This range helps bridge the mechanical performance of rubbers and thermoplastics, and its properties can be further tuned for specific applications by adding concentrates or pigments.
Hytrel's flexibility and strength make it ideal for automotive parts, cables, wires, and sealing elements such as wipers, backup rings, and road seals pre-loaded with elastomer O-rings. It is also used in medical devices, electrical cabling insulation, and mechanical gears.
Hytrel's flexibility, strength, and resistance to compression set and creep make it a versatile material for designers and manufacturers. Its ability to resist swelling in oils and aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons in the medium-temperature range further adds to its suitability for flexible design solutions.
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Frequently asked questions
Hytrel is a brand name for TPC-ET (thermoplastic polyester elastomer).
Hytrel is manufactured by Dupont and Celanese.
Hytrel combines the flexibility of an elastomer with the strength and processability of a thermoplastic. It has excellent strength and flex fatigue and is resistant to most fluids and hydrocarbons.
Hytrel is used in a wide range of engineering applications, including medical devices, electrical cabling insulation, mechanical gears, and automotive components.
Yes, there are eco-friendly and renewably sourced alternatives to Hytrel, such as the Hytrel ECO B family of products, which offer the same performance characteristics with an improved ecological footprint.




































