A goals-oriented approach to manufacturing soccer shoes
Soccer shoes, like all classics, change with the times. Once hand-crafted at the cobbler’s bench, the soccer shoe has long since been transformed into a high-tech product—because the pros on the turf are continually being spurred to new heights of achievement. Likewise, the demands placed on the product designer are high, too. The shoe must be stable, yet flexible and light. Evonik’s VESTAMID® is a plastic that’s got what it takes, contributing in no small measure to the winning performance of a high-end soccer shoe like the Adidas Predator®. Thanks to VESTAMID®, the dual density sole of the shoe is—despite its high stability—extremely elastic, always returning to its original shape, even after being subjected to high stress.
Giving everyone a feel for the ball
This is important because guiding and cushioning elements can function correctly only in the form designed by the developers. The VESTAMID® heel cap, for example, reduces stress on the Achilles tendon. For the player, Evonik's expertise takes precision, shot power, and feel for the ball to unprecedented levels. And that applies as much to a casual kickabout on a dusty makeshift pitch as to EC matches in huge stadiums, because the components of the soles can be produced with varying degrees of rigidity, depending on the stress to which they will be subjected.
That’s what a shoe’s made of!
The VESTAMID® E used for sports shoe soles is a polyamide 12 elastomer whose most important properties are virtually temperature independent. The molding compound always has particularly high impact strength, toughness, and rigidity. The result is a hard and robust, but also highly flexible specialty sole. In what seems like the squaring of the circle, block copolymers from Evonik's laboratories combine rigid sections of polyamide 12 with elastic polymers. The ratio of the components can be adjusted to adapt the properties of the sole selectively for various requirements and surfaces.
Easy handling
VESTAMID®'s consistently good processing properties make it easy to handle in production. VESTAMID® is color neutral and easily colored, and can even be coated or printed. This is a big plus, and not simply for reasons of style and fashion. Branded products such as the Adidas Predator® need to have a unique and unmistakable look.
