Comparing ETFE and Glass: What are the potential choices for the future materials industry?
The most sought-after construction material of the moment, ETFE is a highly translucent fabric that is extremely practical and economical. Air-cushion ETFE or single ETFE weigh approximately 1% the weight of the glass, which means the structural frame is significantly reduced, which is very economical. Therefore, ETFE is often used as an effective replacement material for glass as it transmits up to 95% natural light and is many times lighter than glass.
When Compare ETFE and glass, the use of ETFE material has expanded greatly since its invention and use in the aerospace industry 30 years ago. It has flourished as a mainstream building material, exemplified by the eye-catching ETFE roofing of the North West bus station at London's Westfield Shopping Center.
ETFE roofs are made by extruding ETFE film to create a material that is highly resistant to corrosion and durable over a wide temperature range; from there it can be used as an individual layer or made into air cushions supported by frames.
Comparing ETFE and Glass: Is single-layer ETFE the same as thin glass panels?
In monolayer form, ETFE material has been widely used worldwide. Their nature is a lightweight material with a transparent appearance similar to glass, so they are often chosen for installation on new or old buildings. ETFE roofs can be formed by stretching sheets of ETFE material over frames like Camellia's house in Nottingham, or the ETFE membrane is stretched by a network of cables. Failsworth and Radclyffe schools both apply this method to span large spans without placing intermediate steel frames.
Single-layer ETFE provides minimal thermal insulation properties but will provide maximum light transmission, so tends to be used to create internal or external areas. With this characteristic, it is often installed in schools across the UK to protect outside play spaces and teaching spaces from rain.
Compare ETFE and Glass: ETFE air cushion option is superior to glass
In another embodiment, when Compare ETFE and glass, monolayer ETFE pieces can be used to form ETFE air cushions. By injecting air into the cushion bag, ETFE air cushions are lightweight and insulating, and can be manufactured to any shape or size, limited only by wind or snow loads.
In addition to being a low flammability material, ETFE also has self-extinguishing properties, which proves that this is a material with high standards for health and fire safety.
The ETFE material itself is also designed to help control and adapt to sunlight, as is the case at North Swindon school. ETFE material is printed (or fritted) with various patterns to reduce glare. Additionally, by placing additional layers of ETFE into the air cushion, the problem of light transmission and heat gain can be controlled.
Although multi-layer ETFE air cushions are not available, they can be ordered to be manufactured by combining offset-printed ETFE layers together. By overlapping the layers, the pressure on each individual ETFE panel is replaced, thereby achieving the need to maximize light or reduce light when necessary. Essentially, this means they invisibly create a coating that reacts to environmental influences.
What is the big difference between ETFE and glass?
Typical of one of the useful uses when Compare ETFE and glass, ETFE brings into the future the Allianz Arena football stadium in Munich, where air cushions are internally illuminated with LED lighting and emit a variety of colors. A few other prominent projects using ETFE air cushions are the Olympic Water Cube arena in Beijing, built specifically for the 2008 Olympic Games, and the Eden project in Cornwall of the United Kingdom.
With a lifespan of more than 30 years, ETFE material is not affected by UV rays, weathering and environmental pollution. In particular, it does not become brittle or discolored over time, making it a durable construction material. long time. Therefore, ETFE is increasingly asserting itself as an important material in the construction industry.
What makes ETFE better than glass?
Compare ETFE and Glass – Glass has been one of the most popular traditional materials used in the construction industry for decades. However, with the invention of ETFE, the use of glass has drastically decreased in the construction of many transparent structures because of the excellent properties that ETFE has, while providing glass-like transparency.
It has many benefits over glass when put into context when comparing ETFE and glass. However, it is very important that you purchase high-quality products from the most trusted name in the industry. Tuflite Polymers is one of the most reputable and trusted ETFE suppliers in India, having partnered with the leading company in ETFE materials – Vector Foiltec – to supply the Indian subcontinent with sheets and Best ETFE mattress.
ETFE is lightweight: ETFE is very light in weight compared to glass. This means it requires less support structure, which means lower costs associated with steel or concrete racks!
Flexible ETFE: Glass is brittle and hard. It cannot be shaped into domes or circular roofs, which is why it is only used as flat panels. On the other hand, ETFE is flexible, malleable and malleable. This material can be stretched and stretched 200-300% more than its original size, which is why it can be used to create many designs.
ETFE is very cost-effective: One of the main aspects to any type of construction is the cost involved. Glass construction is relatively a more costly investment than ETFE structures. This is because standard ETFE gaskets have much better U-values than triple glazing. In fact, ETFE seals can be installed for approximately half the price of high-performance glass!
ETFE is easy to maintain: It is very easy to maintain an ETFE sheet due to the self-cleaning nature of the material. ETFE cushions do not attract dust due to the non-stick and smooth properties of the foil. And, during rains, any bird droppings are washed away. This means not only easy maintenance but also lower maintenance costs.
ETFE is easy to repair: If the glass is cracked or broken, the entire panel will have to be replaced. But, this is not the case with ETFE. A single ETFE sheet made with multiple cushions can be repaired, rather than completely replaced. If one mattress is damaged, there is no need to replace the entire mattress. Only a single panel can be removed and replaced, leaving the remaining structure intact. This also saves a lot of time.
Larger sizes of ETFE can be used: In general, the largest size of a tempered glass panel that can be used is 4m X 2m. In contrast, ETFE air-filled cushions can reach a whopping size of 25m X 3.5m, or even more! This is the best characteristic for building large structures, which require minimum joints while providing maximum aesthetic value.
ETFE is fire safe: ETFE is self-extinguishing. This means that in case of fire, the mattress does not burn; instead, they shrink away from the fire, allowing fire and smoke to escape into the atmosphere. Therefore, any person in the structure will not be at any risk of burning debris falling inside. Additionally, the chemical composition of ETFE does not permit combustion, meaning no sudden explosions are observed when the flame comes into contact with oxygen. This attribute is the main reason why so many airports, train stations and other public spaces around the globe are using ETFE.
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