Lanxess Ultralast Thermoplastic Polyurethane in Consumer Electronics: Offering Soft-Touch Feel and Durable Protection.

Date：2025-07-31 Categories：News

📘 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 down? 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 : sales@newtopchem.com
=======================================================================

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: sales@newtopchem.com

Location: Creative Industries Park, Baoshan, Shanghai, CHINA