ISO 16365-1:2025

Overview

ISO 16365-1:2025 - Plastics - Thermoplastic polyurethanes for moulding and extrusion - Part 1: Designation system and basis for specifications defines a standardized designation system for thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) elastomers. The standard establishes a clear code structure that manufacturers, compounders and specifiers can use as the basis for material specifications. It applies to TPUs in powder, granule or pellet form, unmodified or modified with colourants, fillers, additives or recyclate. ISO 16365-1:2025 does not provide engineering performance data or processing conditions; such properties can be determined using test methods referenced in ISO 16365-2 where applicable.

Key Topics and Requirements

• Designation structure: An identity block plus an individual item block subdivided into five data blocks (Data Block 1–5). Data blocks are separated by commas and the first character of the individual item block is a hyphen.
• Data Block 1: Identification of TPU type (symbol “TPU”) and optional subcategory by soft-block chemistry (e.g., TPU-ARES, TPU-ALET) in accordance with ISO 18064.
• Data Block 2: Filler/reinforcement coding and nominal mass content (single-letter codes for material and form; mixtures shown with “+”), plus flame-retardant codes (FR) and recyclate declaration (R followed by percentage).
• Data Block 3: Intended application and processing codes (first position indicates processing method such as extrusion, moulding, coating; additional positions indicate additives, stabilizers, colour, etc.).
• Data Block 4: Designatory properties - hardness (Shore A or D ranges coded by two‑figure numbers per ISO 868) and tensile modulus (three‑figure code); use “X” if unspecified.
• Data Block 5: Optional specification block for additional property requirements or test limits (codes for this block are outside the scope of this document).
• Part marking: First two data blocks can be used for concise part marking between ‘>’ and ‘<’.
• Important notes: Identical designations do not guarantee identical performance; manufacturers must supply test data when application-specific performance is required.

Applications and Who Uses This Standard

ISO 16365-1:2025 is useful for:

• Material producers and compounders creating TPU grades for moulding and extrusion
• OEMs and product designers specifying TPU materials for components (automotive seals, hoses, footwear, films, cables)
• Quality and compliance engineers writing procurement specifications or part markings
• R&D and formulation teams documenting filler, flame-retardant and recyclate content
• Supply chain and procurement professionals harmonizing material descriptions across suppliers

By standardizing TPU designation, the standard streamlines material selection, specification writing, part marking and regulatory traceability.

Related Standards

• ISO 16365-2 (test methods / additional properties)
• ISO 868 (Shore hardness)
• ISO 18064 (thermoplastic elastomer nomenclature)
• ISO 1043 series / ISO 1043-4 (symbols for flame retardants)
• ISO 527 (tensile properties)

Example designation style (from the standard): ISO 16365-TPU,(GF+MD)35 FR(30) (R50),MA,40-75,, - demonstrating combined filler, flame-retardant and recyclate coding.