Common Fabrics Used in Membrane Structures: PVC, PVDF, etc.

Aokai New Materials, a source manufacturer of PTFE (Teflon) products, produces PTFE membrane materials. Other common materials in membrane structure construction include PVC, PVDF, ETFE, etc. These four are mainstream materials for membrane structures. Although they are generally referred to as "membrane materials", they differ essentially in material composition, service life, self-cleaning performance, light transmittance, fire resistance rating and applicable scenarios.

In simple terms, their relationship can be understood as follows:PVC is the basic version;PVDF is an upgraded coating for PVC;PTFE is a long-lasting high-performance fabric membrane;while ETFE is not a fabric at all, but a transparent film.

1. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)

It is an economical and widely used material in membrane structures. It usually uses polyester fiber fabric as the base material, coated with polyvinyl chloride on the surface.

· Service life: Relatively short, usually 10–15 years.

· Self-cleaning performance: Poor. PVC easily adsorbs dust, ages and yellows under ultraviolet radiation, and may even suffer from "plasticizer migration" (sticky surface).

· Fire resistance: Generally Class B1 (flame-retardant) or Class B2.

· Price: Low cost.

2. PVDF (Polyvinylidene Fluoride)

Strictly speaking, PVDF is not an independent base material, but a surface coating technology for PVC membranes. It is made by laminating or coating a layer of PVDF resin on the basis of polyester fiber fabric + PVC coating.

· Service life: Medium, usually 15–25 years.

· Self-cleaning performance: Excellent. PVDF has an extremely low surface energy, making it difficult for dust and dirt to adhere; rainwater washing is sufficient for cleaning. This is its major advantage over ordinary PVC.

· Performance: Much stronger UV resistance and anti-aging performance than ordinary PVC.

· Price: Moderate, slightly higher than PVC.

3. PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as Teflon)

It is a long-lasting high-end membrane material. It uses high-strength fiberglass as the base material, coated with PTFE resin on the surface.

· Service life: Extremely long, usually more than 30 years, theoretically up to 50 years, matching the service life of buildings.

· Self-cleaning performance: Excellent. PTFE has an extremely low surface friction coefficient and is almost non-sticky to dust.

· Fire resistance: Class A (non-combustible). With fiberglass as the base material, it has the highest fire resistance rating among the four materials.

· Light transmittance: Good (approx. 10%–15%), producing soft diffused light without shadows.

· Chemical stability: Acid and alkali resistant, corrosion resistant, and almost unaffected by harsh climates.

· Disadvantages: Relatively rigid and cannot be greatly bent or folded like PVC; high process requirements for transportation and installation; usually only available in white; and expensive.

4. ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene Copolymer)

ETFE is completely different from the previous three. It is not a "fabric" (fabric/coating composite), but a transparent high-strength film. The famous "Water Cube" is a representative work of ETFE membrane structure.

· Form: Not made by coating a base fabric, but an extruded film (usually 200–300 microns thick), often used as air cushions (inflated pillows).

· Weight: Extremely light, only about 1% the weight of glass of the same area.

· Light transmittance: Extremely high, adjustable (usually 20%–95%), achieving near-full transparency or printed shading.

· Self-cleaning performance: Very smooth surface with strong anti-fouling ability.

· Ductility: Good tensile strength and toughness; even if punctured, it will not tear and expand like traditional membrane materials.

· Disadvantages: Requires continuous inflation to maintain shape (air cushion type), increasing costs for inflation equipment and energy consumption; single-layer membranes have poor thermal insulation, usually requiring multi-layer air cushion structures.

Performance Summary

The above information is provided by Jiangsu Aokai New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.

For detailed parameters, application scenarios and customized solutions of our full-range products, including Teflon high-temperature cloth, Teflon high-temperature tape, Teflon high-temperature mesh belts, seamless belts for bonding machines, single-sided PTFE cloth, high-temperature resistant conveyor belts, high-temperature resistant fiberglass cloth, etc., please contact us via:

· Service Hotline: Mr. Guo 18944819998

· Mr. Liu 13705266308

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