What is TPU Wire? What is TPU Wire used for?

By Randy Mitchell Conductive Textiles, Conductive Yarns and Threads, TPU 0 Comments

What is TPU Wire?

The answer is simple. TPU “wire” is really a silver metalized yarn coated with Thermoplastic PolyUrethane (TPU) as an insulator. We usually think of “wire” as a solid metal cylinder that carries current. In this case, the silver metalized yarn has all of the conductive properties of a wire due to silver’s excellent conductivity, except that it isn’t solid and due to the textile properties of a yarn, it can flex easily. This flexibility makes the the TPU wire superior to the classic “metal wire” in applications where the wire might be “flexed” or bent a lot, leading to metal fatigue, and ultimately to the fracture of the wire, resulting in failure of the circuit.

What is TPU Wire Used For?

TPU wire can be ultrasonically welded to conductive fabrics, printed circuit boards, conductor pins for conductors, and any other conductive or thermoplastic surface. This property makes TPU able to provide a method of transmitting data, low voltage electrical signals, and power to and from integrated devices. TPU Wire provides a truly flexible and durable method of making these connections when compared to the “traditional methods” which usually involve:

Solid wire connected with solder, snaps, lugs, or ring terminals.
Thin film components connected with solder or mechanical components.
Embedded wires and rigid sensors sandwiched between fabric connected by mechanical connectors, solder and wire.

This material is playing a role in “smart clothing” where its flexibility, conductivity, and durability make it an ideal sensor connector, able to handle the stress that would not be tolerated with on traditional methods of connection. Connection-that’s what TPU Wire is all about, whether it is used in medicine, electronics, hobbies, or smart clothing, the excellent conductivity of silver yarn combined with the flexibility of ThermoPlastic Polyurethane make an excellent solution!

TPU Wire is available in two sizes depending upon your needs: