Overview
ISO 18064:2022 - Thermoplastic elastomers - Nomenclature and abbreviated terms defines a standardized naming system for thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) based on chemical composition. The third edition (2022) establishes symbols and abbreviated terms to identify TPEs consistently in industry, commerce and government, and is intended to supplement - not replace - trade names and trademarks. The standard helps ensure unambiguous communication in technical papers, material specifications and regulatory or procurement documents.
Key topics and requirements
- Nomenclature format: All abbreviated terms begin with the prefix TP, followed by a letter for the category (e.g., TPA, TPC, TPO, TPS, TPU, TPV, TPZ). A hyphen and additional symbols describe the specific material or chemistry.
- Categories defined:
- TPA - Thermoplastic polyamide elastomers (soft segments: ether/ester/carbonate combinations).
- TPC - Thermoplastic copolyester elastomers.
- TPO - Thermoplastic polyolefin elastomers (block copolymers -C or blends -M).
- TPS - Thermoplastic polystyrene elastomers (fully hydrogenated TPS‑H or non/partially hydrogenated TPS‑N).
- TPU - Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (subdivided by aromatic/aliphatic hard segments and soft-segment chemistry, e.g., TPU‑ARET, TPU‑ALCE).
- TPV - Thermoplastic elastomer vulcanizates (identified as TPV-(thermoplastic + rubber); rubber phase is dynamically vulcanized).
- TPZ - Unclassified or miscellaneous TPEs (notation like TPZ-(PVC+NBR)).
- Subcategory symbols: The standard prescribes suffixes that indicate soft/hard segment chemistry (for example TPA‑ET, TPC‑ES, TPU‑ARES).
- Blend notation: Bracketed format for mixtures, e.g., TPO‑M (PP+EPDM) or TPV‑(PP+EPDM), putting the continuous thermoplastic first.
- Normative references: Uses and aligns symbols from ISO 1043‑1 (plastics) and ISO 1629 (rubber) to avoid ambiguity.
- Annex A: Informative list of formerly used abbreviated terms to aid transition from older literature and patents.
Applications and who uses it
- Materials engineers, polymer scientists and product designers for clear material selection and specification.
- Standards writers, test laboratories and certification bodies for consistent reporting and labeling.
- Procurement teams, OEMs and manufacturers for unambiguous procurement and quality control.
- Academics and authors for standardized terminology in technical papers and presentations.
Related standards
- ISO 1043‑1 - Plastics: symbols and abbreviated terms for basic polymers
- ISO 1629 - Rubber and latices: nomenclature
ISO 18064:2022 improves clarity and interoperability across rubber and plastics sectors by providing a compact, chemistry-based naming convention for TPEs - essential for specification, compliance and communication.