Overview of Knitted Cloth Composite TPU Fabric
Knitted Cloth Composite TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) fabric is an innovative composite material that combines the softness of the knitted fabric with the high strength and waterproof properties of the TPU film. This material is widely used in children’s toys and is highly favored for its excellent safety and environmental characteristics and durability. The TPU itself has excellent wear resistance, oil resistance, tear resistance and elastic recovery capabilities, which allows it to maintain the long-term use value of the toy while protecting children from external harm.
The structure of the knitted fabric composite TPU fabric consists of two parts: the outer layer is a soft and breathable knitted fabric, and the inner layer is a high-strength TPU film. This double-layer structure not only provides good touch and comfort, but also enhances the overall strength and waterproofing of the material. In addition, the recyclability and low volatile organic compounds (VOC) emission properties of TPU materials make it an ideal choice for environmental protection.
In the field of children’s toys, safety is always a priority. Knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics ensure that they comply with international toy safety standards such as EN71 (European Toy Safety Standard) and ASTM F963 (American Toy Safety Standard). These standards cover everything from chemical composition to physical and mechanical properties, ensuring that the product does not cause harm to children under any circumstances.
Next, we will discuss in detail the specific application of knitted fabric composite TPU fabric in children’s toys and its technical advantages, including how it meets safety and environmental protection requirements and improves the durability of the product.
| parameter name | Unit | value |
|---|---|---|
| Tension Strength | MPa | 20-30 |
| Abrasion resistance | mm³ | <50 |
| Water vapor transmission rate | g/m²/day | 3000-5000 |
Safety and environmental protection characteristics analysis
Knitted fabric composite TPU fabric has excellent safety and environmental protection due to its unique material composition and processing technology. First, the TPU material itself has good biocompatibility and low toxicity, which means that even children have prolonged exposure to it will not cause skin allergies or other adverse reactions. According to the provisions of ISO 10993 of the International Organization for Standardization, TPU is classified as one of the materials that are harmless to the human body and is particularly suitable for use in children’s products. In addition, the chemical stability of TPU is extremely high, and can haveIt effectively resists the erosion of various chemical substances and further ensures the safety of children.
Secondly, the environmentally friendly characteristics of TPU materials are also an important reason for their widespread use. TPUs can be made by solvent or melting, both of which can significantly reduce waste emissions during production. Especially the melting method, it does not require the use of organic solvents, which greatly reduces the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). According to the famous foreign document “Polyurethane Handbook”, the preparation of TPUs by melting can reduce VOC emissions by up to 90%. In addition, TPU materials are recyclable and can be reprocessed and utilized through specific processes after being discarded, reducing resource waste and environmental pollution.
In addition, the production process of knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics uses advanced non-toxic adhesives, which not only enhance the durability of the fabric, but also does not contain any harmful chemicals. According to a research report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this new adhesive reduces production costs while also greatly improves the environmental performance of the product. Therefore, whether from the perspective of raw material selection or production process, knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics reflect extremely high safety and environmental protection standards.
To sum up, knitted fabric composite TPU fabric fully meets the strict safety and environmental protection requirements of modern children’s toys due to its non-toxic, low emissions and recyclable properties. The following is a comparison table of specific parameters:
| Feature Indicators | TPU material performance | Regular plastic material performance |
|---|---|---|
| Biocompatibility | High | in |
| VOC emissions | Extremely low | Higher |
| Recyclability | High | Low |
| Chemical Stability | Strong | Weak |
These data fully demonstrate the superiority of knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics in terms of safety and environmental protection, making them an ideal choice in the field of children’s toys.
Technical Analysis of Durability
The reason why knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics can show excellent durability in children’s toys is mainly due to its unique physical and chemical properties. The TPU material itself has high wear resistance, tear resistance and elastic recovery, which together work to enable composite fabrics to maintain their integrity in frequent use and high-strength environments.
Abrasion resistance
TThe wear resistance of the PU is one of the key factors in its durability. Research shows that TPUs have about 40% higher wear resistance than traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This enhanced wear resistance makes knitted fabric composite TPU fabric ideal for toy parts that are frequently subject to friction, such as slide surfaces or floor mats. The following table shows the wear resistance of TPUs with other common materials:
| Material Type | Wear index (mg/1000m) |
|---|---|
| PVC | 120 |
| TPU | 70 |
Tear resistance
TPUs are equally excellent in tear resistance, due to the strong interaction force between the TPU molecular chains. This characteristic makes the fabric not prone to break even when it is subjected to large external forces. This is especially important for children’s toys because it ensures that the toys will not be easily damaged during use and extends their service life. The improvement of tear resistance can also be achieved by adding special additives, such as certain silicone oil additives can effectively improve the tear resistance of TPU.
Elastic Resilience
The elastic recovery ability of the TPU refers to its ability to quickly restore its original state after external force is removed. This characteristic allows the knitted fabric composite TPU fabric to maintain its original shape after being subjected to pressure or deformation, which is particularly critical for toy parts that require repeated extrusion or stretching. The elastic recovery ability of a TPU is usually measured by tensile testing. The following table lists the elastic recovery rate of the TPU and other materials:
| Material Type | Elastic recovery rate (%) |
|---|---|
| PVC | 80 |
| TPU | 95 |
Application Example
In practical applications, these characteristics of TPU have been widely verified. For example, a well-known children’s toy manufacturer used knitted fabric composite TPU fabric in their products, and the results showed that the material’s service life is at least 30% higher than that of traditional materials. This not only reduces the cost of repair and replacement, but also improves user satisfaction.
To sum up, knitted fabric composite TPU fabric significantly improves the durability of children’s toys through its high wear resistance, tear resistance and elastic recovery capabilities, providing the market with a more durable and reliable solution plan.
Practical application case analysis
The application of knitted fabric composite TPU fabric in children’s toys has been widely verified in practice. The following shows its practical application effects in different types of children’s toys through several specific cases.
Case 1: Inflatable Castle
A well-known manufacturer of children’s rides has used knitted composite TPU fabric in its bouncy castle. Compared with traditional PVC materials, TPU fabrics show higher wear resistance and tear resistance. After a year of high-frequency use, the inflatable castle made of TPU material has almost no obvious wear or cracks, which significantly extends the service life of the product. In addition, the low VOC emission characteristics of TPU materials also make the bouncy castle more environmentally friendly and meet the health and safety requirements of modern homes.
| Performance metrics | TPU material | PVC material |
|---|---|---|
| Abrasion resistance | High | in |
| Tear resistance | High | in |
| Environmental | High | Low |
Case 2: Children’s floor mat
Another company focused on infant products has launched floor mats using knitted fabrics. This floor mat is not only soft and comfortable, but also easy to clean and maintain. The high elastic recovery ability of TPU materials ensures that the floor mat can still maintain its original shape after multiple pedals and bends, greatly improving the user experience. In addition, the anti-slip properties of TPU materials also provide children with a safer playing environment.
| Performance metrics | TPU material | Regular foam material |
|---|---|---|
| Elastic recovery | High | in |
| Unslip | High | Low |
Case 3: Software splicing toys
In the application of soft splicing toys, knitted fabric composite TPU fabric shows its unique advantages. This toy usually requires frequent cleaning and disinfection, and the waterproofness and antibacterial properties of TPU materials make it an ideal choice. Experimental data shows that software toys using TPU materialAfter more than 50 high-temperature washings, it still maintains good appearance and functionality, far exceeding the performance of conventional materials.
| Performance metrics | TPU material | Ordinary cotton material |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproof | High | Low |
| Durability | High | in |
The above cases fully illustrate the significant effect of knitted fabric composite TPU fabric in improving the safety, environmental protection and durability of children’s toys, and provide strong support for its wide application in the field of children’s toys.
Technical challenges and future development directions of knitted fabric composite TPU fabric
Although the application of knitted fabric composite TPU fabric in children’s toys shows many advantages, its development still faces some technical challenges. The primary technical problem lies in the processing temperature control of TPU materials. The TPU needs to be processed at higher temperatures to ensure stable material performance, however, excessively high temperatures can lead to deformation or damage to the knitted fabric layer. To solve this problem, researchers are exploring more precise temperature control systems and new low-temperature processing technologies. For example, there are studies that have proposed to adopt microwave heating technology, which can quickly and evenly heat the TPU at lower temperatures, thereby reducing the impact on the knitted fabric layer.
Another challenge is the high cost of TPU materials, which limits its wide application in the low-end market. In order to reduce costs, the industry is actively looking for alternative raw materials and optimizing production processes. At present, some research teams are working to develop TPU materials based on renewable resources, such as bio-based TPUs using corn starch as raw materials, which not only reduces production costs, but also further improves the environmental performance of the materials.
Looking forward, the development direction of knitted fabric composite TPU fabric will focus on the following aspects: First, further improve the versatility of the material, such as adding self-healing functions and intelligent sensing functions; Second, strengthening the sustainability of the material , develop more degradable or recyclable TPU materials; the third is to optimize production processes to achieve higher efficiency and lower energy consumption production processes. These development directions will not only help solve the current technical bottlenecks, but will also promote the wider application of knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics in children’s toys and other fields.
Comparison of current domestic and foreign research status and technology
The research and application of knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics has attracted widespread attention worldwide, especially in developed countries such as Europe and the United States, where related technologies are relatively mature. For example, BASF, Germany and DuPont, the United States) have made significant progress in the research and development and application of TPU materials. These companies have invested a lot of resources in the high performance and environmental protection of TPU materials and developed a variety of special TPU materials suitable for children’s toys. Especially in terms of TPU biodegradability and low VOC emissions, European and American companies’ research results are leading the world.
In contrast, domestic companies started research on knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics late, but have also made rapid progress in recent years. For example, scientific research institutions such as the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Zhejiang University have conducted in-depth research on the synthesis and modification technology of TPU materials and have achieved a series of important results. Domestic companies such as Zhejiang Huafeng New Materials Co., Ltd. have also made positive contributions to the industrial application of TPU materials. Despite this, compared with the international leading level, there is still a gap in the high-end application and technological innovation of TPU materials in China.
From a technical point of view, domestic and foreign research focuses have their own focus. Foreign research focuses more on the functionalization and intelligence of TPU materials, such as developing TPU materials with self-healing functions and intelligent response functions. Domestic research focuses more on the low-cost and large-scale production technology of TPU materials, striving to reduce production costs while maintaining material performance. This difference reflects the differences in domestic and foreign market demand and technological development stages.
In addition, there are certain differences in the research on the environmental protection performance of TPU materials at home and abroad. Strict environmental standards, such as REACH regulations and RoHS directives, are widely adopted abroad to promote the development of TPU materials in a more environmentally friendly direction. Although the country is gradually strengthening the implementation of environmental protection regulations, further efforts are still needed in specific implementation and technological research and development.
To sum up, there are both commonalities and differences in the research and development of knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics at home and abroad. With the deepening of globalization and the increase of technological exchanges, this gap is expected to gradually narrow, promoting the widespread application and development of TPU materials worldwide.
Reference Source
- Polyurethane Handbook – Editor: Gerd Menges, Publisher: Hanser Publishers, ISBN: 978-3-446-40529-5
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Standard F963 – ASTM International, https://www.astm.org/Standards/F963.htm
- European Committeefor Standardization (CEN) Standard EN71 – CEN, https://www.cen.eu/work/products/standards/Pages/default.aspx
- United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – EPA Publications on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), https://www.epa.gov/vocs
- BASF Polyurethanes Division Research Papers – BASF SE, https://www.basf.com/en/research-and-development/polyurethanes.html
- DuPont Performance Polymers Technical Bulletins – DuPont de Nemours, Inc., https://www.dupont.com/products-and-services/performance-polymers.html
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Chemistry Publications – CAS, http://english.ic.cas.cn/
- Zhejiang University Polymer Science and Engineering Department Reports – ZJU, http://polymer.zju.edu.cn/
- Huafon New Material Co., Ltd. Product Specifications – Huafon Group, http://www.huafon.com.cn/
The above references provide comprehensive information on knitted fabric composite TPU fabrics, covering material characteristics, safety standards, environmental protection requirements and application examples.
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-87-89.html” >https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-87-89. html
Extended reading: https://www.china-fire-retardant.com /post/9386.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-92-742.html
Extended reading: https://www.tpu-ptfe.com/post/7727.html
Extended reading: https://www.brandfabric.net/ottoman-pongee-coated-breathable-fabric/
Extended reading: https://www.china-fire-retardant.com/post/9391.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-44-86.html
