The Difference Between ETFE Membrane And PTFE Membrane

The Difference Between Etfe fabric architecture And Ptfe fabric architecture.

The chemical name of ETFE is an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, which is a kind of fluorine-containing polymer thermoplastic material, which is an artificial high-strength fluoropolymer. ETFE membrane material is directly formed from the material.

ETFE membrane material has good durability, easy cleaning, and stability. It is a typical non-woven membrane material and is currently the most advanced membrane material in the world.

The chemical name of PTFE is polytetrafluoroethylene, which is a chemically inert material. It uses glass fiber as the base material to form a PTFE membrane. PTFE also has excellent durability, ease of cleaning, and stability.

ETFE requires less steel structural support than traditional glass systems, making it easier to install and often a cheaper option. On a glass roof, it is often considered a value engineering option.

The ETFE roof can be provided in the form of a single layer ETFE membrane, supported by a cable network system, or as a series of air cushions consisting of two to five layers of ETFE.

In addition to its lightweight, another major advantage of ETFE is its high transparency. It can transmit up to 95 percent of light and has been chosen for projects such as stadiums with grass surfaces, where full-spectrum natural light and ultraviolet transmission are essential for sustaining plant growth.

ETFE films also absorb large amounts of infrared light, a quality that can be harnessed to improve building energy consumption. When high levels of transmittance are not required, ETFE films can be printed or sintered and have multiple patterns to reduce sunlight absorption while maintaining transparency.

The base material for ETFE installation is very transparent. However, ETFE foils can be treated in many different ways to control their light transmittance. These include printing, coloring, surface treatment, radiating and adding other layers.

Because of its extremely low mass, ETFE cushions limit the amount of reverberation in the room by absorbing sound.

The exact sound level within the enclosure will depend on the properties and items of the cushion (for example, the size/size of the room, the tilt of the pillow, the materials used inside, and the span of the pillow).

ETFE is immune to ultraviolet light, atmospheric pollution, and other forms of environmental weathering, including Marine spray, and therefore has a long life.

Although the ETFE structure is not long enough to truly understand the entire life cycle of the foil, the material has been extensively studied and tested in laboratory environments and in the field.

The tests concluded that no decline or loss of strength had occurred and that there was no indication that the material would become brittle or discolored over time. As a result, the material is expected to have a life expectancy of over 50 years.

After testing, the fireproof performance of ETFE membrane material and PTFE membrane material can reach the B1 level, which is a flame-retardant material.

In comparison, ETFE film has higher light transmittance and better chemical resistance than PTFE film, and can resist most acids and alkalis; ETFE film has a strong resistance to natural aging and has better processability and mechanical properties.

Because ETFE film is directly formed from plastic without a substrate, its tensile strength and tear resistance are not as good as PTFE film, and it has a high one-time investment, high maintenance costs during use, and poor resistance to sharp objects.