Lubrizol ESTANE® TPU

The Difference Is Inside

Lubrizol pioneered thermoplastic polyurethane in 1959. For over 30 years, its ESTANE® aliphatic TPU has set the benchmark for premium PPF, trusted in some of the highest-performing films worldwide. Every UPPF film is built on it.

Aliphatic TPU chemistry

Not all TPU is created equal

Lower-cost films use aromatic TPU, which is more affordable but prone to yellowing under UV exposure within one to two years. Lubrizol’s aliphatic TPU is inherently UV-stable, maintaining long-term clarity for the life of the film.

Founded in 1959, a Berkshire Hathaway company.
One of the world’s leading TPU manufacturers.
ESTANE® aliphatic TPU in every UPPF paint protection film.

Two installers holding a sheet of crystal-clear TPU film flat and taut between them, in the UPPF install bay

Inside the film

Six layers, three stay on the car

UPPF’s layer diagram, layer by layer. The optical PET on top and the release liner underneath come off at install. Cobia color PPF carries its color in its own layer under the TPU; Hammerhead clear PPF has no color layer, so it is five layers.

Point at or tap a layer, or tab through the list, to see what it does.

1Optical PETClear sheet over the top coat, peeled off before the film goes onRemoved for installation
2PLATICOAT™ topcoatSelf-healing, hydrophobic, UV-stable surfaceUPPF proprietary
3TPU base filmMain protection layer: non-yellowing TPU for impact absorption and elasticity, with an anti-yellowing coreLubrizol ESTANE®
4Multilayer color function layerCarries the color, under the TPUCobia series color PPF only
5Invisiglue™ adhesiveCrystal-clear bond, strong edge hold, clean removalUPPF proprietary
6Release linerCovers the adhesive until the film goes onRemoved for installation

Film cross-section after UPPF's layer diagram: 6 layers. Not to scale.

Aliphatic versus aromatic

Why the price difference is real

Property	UPPF Hammerhead	Typical budget PPF
TPU source	✓ Lubrizol ESTANE®, aliphatic, verified	✕ Generic domestic resin, unverified
Polyol type	✓ Polycaprolactone, hydrolysis resistant	✕ Polyester, prone to hydrolysis
UV stability	✓ Non-yellowing, stays clear after 10 years	✕ Aromatic TPU yellows within 1 to 2 years
Humid climates	✓ Resists edge cracking and clouding	✕ Ester bonds degrade, causing cracking

The ingredients within your film have a major influence on the long-term performance of PPF. For PPF manufacturers, the right TPU is critical to ensuring three primary performance attributes: aesthetics, durability, and conformability.
Peter Kirk, Global Market Segment Manager, Lubrizol

PLATICOAT™ technology

Inspired by nature. Engineered to endure

The science behind UPPF paint protection film is inspired by the placoid scales of sharks: super hard, low-drag microstructures that resist abrasion and contaminants. Following that biology, our elastomeric TPU disperses impact and self-heals, while the proprietary PLATICOAT™ top coat adds a densely cross-linked, hydrophobic, UV-stable surface. The result is optically clear protection that repels grime and stays vivid for years.

Illustration of placoid scales, the hard, ribbed plates on shark skin that the top coat is modeled on. Not to scale.