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Highlights of Synthetic Cork TPE
1. Superior and Controllable Sealing Performance;
2. Highly Consistent Quality and Reliability;
3. Superior User Experience;
4. Compatibility with Modern Bottling Lines;Highlights of Synthetic Cork TPE;
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TPE Synthetic Stopper: Sealing the Future-The Cork Revolution
As the wine industry continues to pursue sustainability, sealing performance, and cost-effectiveness, alternatives to traditional natural cork stoppers are gaining increasing attention. Among them, Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) stoppers, with their excellent comprehensive performance, are gradually becoming a key choice for sealing mid-to-high-end wines. TPE stoppers are particularly suitable for wines intended to be consumed within 3–5 years. Their stable oxygen transmission rate (OTR) provides a moderate micro-oxygenation environment for the wine, promoting flavor integration while preventing excessive oxidation.
Advantages of TPE Wine Stoppers
1. Low compression set: TPE material offers excellent resilience, maintaining effective sealing against the bottle neck even after long-term compression (e.g., years of storage), preventing leakage or oxidation.
2. Adjustable oxygen transmission rate (OTR): Through formulation and structural design, the rate of micro-oxygen entry into the bottle can be precisely controlled, simulating the micro-oxygenation effect of natural cork and adapting to wines with different aging needs.
3. Unlike natural cork stoppers, which vary individually (e.g., in porosity and density), TPE stoppers are produced via injection molding for high dimensional accuracy and excellent batch consistency, significantly reducing the risk of wine contamination or spoilage due to stopper defects.
4. Zero risk of "cork taint" (TCA contamination): Completely free of wood components, eliminating contaminants like 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) that cause musty off-flavors, ensuring pure wine quality.
5. Smooth and quiet opening: Moderate extraction force, no need for special corkscrews, with no crumbs or popping sounds during opening, enhancing the consumer uncorking experience.
TPE Material Quality Control
Every production step at TERRIFIC TPE undergoes strict quality control to ensure each batch is qualified with precise traceability. The factory has passed food contact material compliance verification, meeting EU 10/2011 and FDA 21 CFR standards, and holds certifications such as RoHS, REACH, and phthalates-free.
Basic Physical Property Testing
Test Item | Test Standard | Control Significance |
Melt Flow Rate (MFR) | ISO 1133 / ASTM D1238 | Reflects processing flowability, affecting injection stability |
Shore Hardness (Shore A) | ISO 7619-1 / ASTM D2240 | Determines insertion force and sealing resilience |
Density | ISO 1183 | Helps assess formulation consistency |
Volatile Content | Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) or oven method | High volatiles can cause injection bubbles or off-odors |
Sensory and Odor Testing
- Olfactory evaluation: Trained panel scores odor after heating granules in a standard environment (adapted from VDA 270 automotive standard).
- Extract odor testing: TPE samples are soaked in simulated wine (e.g., 12% ethanol aqueous solution) at 40°C for 7 days, then blind-evaluated by professional sommeliers to ensure no migrated off-odors.
TPE Synthetic Stopper: Sealing the Future-The Cork Revolution
As the wine industry continues to pursue sustainability, sealing performance, and cost-effectiveness, alternatives to traditional natural cork stoppers are gaining increasing attention. Among them, Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE) stoppers, with their excellent comprehensive performance, are gradually becoming a key choice for sealing mid-to-high-end wines. TPE stoppers are particularly suitable for wines intended to be consumed within 3–5 years. Their stable oxygen transmission rate (OTR) provides a moderate micro-oxygenation environment for the wine, promoting flavor integration while preventing excessive oxidation.
Advantages of TPE Wine Stoppers
1. Low compression set: TPE material offers excellent resilience, maintaining effective sealing against the bottle neck even after long-term compression (e.g., years of storage), preventing leakage or oxidation.
2. Adjustable oxygen transmission rate (OTR): Through formulation and structural design, the rate of micro-oxygen entry into the bottle can be precisely controlled, simulating the micro-oxygenation effect of natural cork and adapting to wines with different aging needs.
3. Unlike natural cork stoppers, which vary individually (e.g., in porosity and density), TPE stoppers are produced via injection molding for high dimensional accuracy and excellent batch consistency, significantly reducing the risk of wine contamination or spoilage due to stopper defects.
4. Zero risk of "cork taint" (TCA contamination): Completely free of wood components, eliminating contaminants like 2,4,6-trichloroanisole (TCA) that cause musty off-flavors, ensuring pure wine quality.
5. Smooth and quiet opening: Moderate extraction force, no need for special corkscrews, with no crumbs or popping sounds during opening, enhancing the consumer uncorking experience.
TPE Material Quality Control
Every production step at TERRIFIC TPE undergoes strict quality control to ensure each batch is qualified with precise traceability. The factory has passed food contact material compliance verification, meeting EU 10/2011 and FDA 21 CFR standards, and holds certifications such as RoHS, REACH, and phthalates-free.
Basic Physical Property Testing
Test Item | Test Standard | Control Significance |
Melt Flow Rate (MFR) | ISO 1133 / ASTM D1238 | Reflects processing flowability, affecting injection stability |
Shore Hardness (Shore A) | ISO 7619-1 / ASTM D2240 | Determines insertion force and sealing resilience |
Density | ISO 1183 | Helps assess formulation consistency |
Volatile Content | Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) or oven method | High volatiles can cause injection bubbles or off-odors |
Sensory and Odor Testing
- Olfactory evaluation: Trained panel scores odor after heating granules in a standard environment (adapted from VDA 270 automotive standard).
- Extract odor testing: TPE samples are soaked in simulated wine (e.g., 12% ethanol aqueous solution) at 40°C for 7 days, then blind-evaluated by professional sommeliers to ensure no migrated off-odors.
