Does the cold damage TPE?

DrSakamoto · Post by **DrSakamoto** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 4:16 am

Thinking of storing my doll in the van during the winter. Anyone know if minus degree temperatures can damage TPE?

Cheers

Arthur1960 · Post by **Arthur1960** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:29 am

Hi there, good question and one that I don't personally have the answer to but it's worth considering the risk of dampness occurring in such low temperatures especially if the temperature warms up during the day. This will almost certainly encourage mould growth whatever material your doll is made from. I guess it could be possible if you smeared Vaseline inside all orifices and then wrapped her up really tight so that no air could get to her but having lived in a boat in the past I can tell you that mould will always find a way in such conditions so on that basis alone I would say it's not worth the risk.

Edit: obviously you wouldn't be smearing Vaseline inside a silicone doll, tpe only!

DrSakamoto · Post by **DrSakamoto** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 6:26 am

Good point, don’t think I’ll risk it, thanks

grimreefer24601 · Post by **grimreefer24601** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 9:37 am

As someone with spare TPE I can just throw in a freezer, let's see?

somethingrandom · Post by **somethingrandom** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:26 am

While it would be great to test the effects of freezing on TPE, personally I agree with Arthur. If you left a doll out in a van all winter, it'd probably be pretty moldy by spring.

grimreefer24601 · Post by **grimreefer24601** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 11:18 pm

Over 12 hours in my freezer, and the large chunk I started this morning is really cold. Nothing else. No frost no hardening noting.

Perhaps the color or sample size matter. Added some assorted shapes and colors. I don't think cold will be a problem.

Mold and funk form storingin a van, but cold seems no. I'll test further. Heat I bet is more of a problem.

Grim

Cubiko · Post by **Cubiko** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 2:04 am

I stored two dolls in a storage container downtown over a winter, and I have not registerd any damage. The container was dry and clean though. I remember I asked the manufacturer about cold before doing this and they had at that point registered any damage reported from cold. It would be interesting to test a TPE piece in a freezer for a couple of months to check if the edges get dry or something.

hentai_11 · Post by **hentai_11** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 3:14 am

TPE contains mineral oil, so it feels nice and soft. I could imagine, that damages may occur, if the liquid mineral oil changes into solid form. Mineral Oil changes from liquid to solid at around -12 °C. The formulas differ, so an exact temperature is difficult to determine.

@Grim: How cold is your freezer?

jbl182 · Post by **jbl182** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 3:43 am

I bet there is more a problem whit rapid warm-cold changes.

Fantastic Plastic · Post by **Fantastic Plastic** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:57 am

This kind of environmental testing has had to already been done at the material vendor level.
But these specs aren’t carried on into final product specifications of course.

And since there is more TPE blends than there are chins in a Chinese phone book, good luck.
The only thing that may come into play with this but I’m not sure, is that it may promote permanent compression marks that won’t return from heating.

Maybe grimreefer can test this?
By taking two identical pieces of TPE and put a paper clip on them, put one in the freezer, and leave the other in a perfectly fine storage temperature.
See if there is any difference afterwards.
Just a thought.

FP

hollows+fentiman · Post by **hollows+fentiman** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:11 am

Generally, it can depend on the TPE blend as to its temperature range (Shore value). However, most TPEs have a general temperature range between -30C and +130C. However, the closer you get to those extremes the more damage might occur. Temperatures of up to minus 10C shouldn’t be a problem even over a length of time but the TPE needs to be warmed up slowly as the skeleton is steel and can remain very cold for some time! What you don’t want is TPE separating from the skeleton.

The above points are quite valid though. Any changes in weather producing relatively rapid changes in temperature can make a lot of condensation. Warmer air holds more water and large objects, like cars for instance, take some time to warm up which is why in the mornings you can often wake up to your car being drenched even though it’s been a cool dry night!

Bottom line is......why would you want to in the first place? Mine stay happily in my bedroom all the time!

Cheers, Hollows.

DrSakamoto · Post by **DrSakamoto** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:56 am

I don’t think I’ll risk it. I originally considered it for 2 main reasons....stealth and storage space. Also my van is a homemade “campervan” and I thought it’d be cool to take a doll camping

Mr Franz · Post by **Mr Franz** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:13 am

DrSakamoto wrote:I don’t think I’ll risk it. I originally considered it for 2 main reasons....stealth and storage space. Also my van is a homemade “campervan” and I thought it’d be cool to take a doll camping

Camper van you say. That could be a little different. I was thinking more alone the lines of an empty box truck which would defiantly be less than ideal. Is your camper well insulated? Typically, does anything inside the van become noticeably damp in the winter months... that is, condensation on windows and interior surfaces? If not and it is well insulated, might just be doable.

HighHeelLoverM · Post by **HighHeelLoverM** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:11 am

Mold growth always needs fuel, that being biomaterials...

If the doll is clean, risk for mold is very low.

But as said above, temperature fluctuating around freezing point causes condensation and increases the risk. Cold climate (constantly) below freezing point is usually very dry.

DrSakamoto · Post by **DrSakamoto** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:58 am

Mr Franz wrote:
DrSakamoto wrote:I don’t think I’ll risk it. I originally considered it for 2 main reasons....stealth and storage space. Also my van is a homemade “campervan” and I thought it’d be cool to take a doll camping
Camper van you say. That could be a little different. I was thinking more alone the lines of an empty box truck which would defiantly be less than ideal. Is your camper well insulated? Typically, does anything inside the van become noticeably damp in the winter months... that is, condensation on windows and interior surfaces? If not and it is well insulated, might just be doable.

its insulated, but I'm not sure how well as I built it myself and this is its first winter.....i don't think any of the bedding has been damp yet