TPU Film: Can explosion-proof upgrades for high-rise building glass curtain walls become standard in the future?
In recent years, with the continuous increase of high-rise buildings around the world, the safety of glass curtain walls has become the focus of attention in the construction industry. Although traditional tempered glass and insulating glass have certain impact resistance, they may still break in extreme weather, accidental explosions or man-made damage, causing safety hazards.
In this context, TPU film (thermoplastic polyurethane film) as a new type of glass reinforcement material is entering the field of building explosion protection. Can it become the standard for glass curtain walls of high-rise buildings in the future? This article will deeply explore the technical advantages, application status and future development trends of TPU lamination film.
1. Safety hazards of glass curtain walls: Why is explosion-proof upgrade needed?
Glass curtain walls have become the mainstream choice for modern high-rise buildings due to their transparent and beautiful characteristics. However, potential risks cannot be ignored:
Extreme weather threats: typhoons, hail, etc. may cause glass to break, and falling fragments threaten the safety of pedestrians.
Explosion impact risk: In emergencies such as terrorist attacks and gas explosions, ordinary glass is difficult to resist shock waves.
Thermal stress rupture: Sudden temperature changes may cause glass to explode, especially large-area curtain walls.
Human damage: Objects thrown from high places or malicious damage may shatter glass, causing safety hazards.
At present, common explosion-proof glass solutions include laminated glass, explosion-proof film, tempered glass, etc., but these solutions are either expensive or difficult to maintain. The emergence of TPU film may bring a better solution.
2. What is TPU film? How does it enhance the explosion-proof performance of glass?
(1) Basic characteristics of TPU film
TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) is a high-performance elastomer material with the following characteristics:
High toughness: The tensile strength can reach more than 50MPa, far exceeding ordinary PVB film.
Strong impact resistance: It can absorb explosion or impact energy and reduce the risk of glass shattering.
Good light transmittance: The light transmittance can reach more than 90%, which does not affect the lighting of the building.
Strong weather resistance: UV resistance, high and low temperature resistance (-40℃~80℃), suitable for all climates.
Good ballistic performance: When impacted by external force, it can tightly adhere to glass fragments to prevent splashing, and has excellent ballistic performance
(2) How does TPU film improve the explosion-proof performance of glass?
TPU lamination film is usually applied to glass curtain walls in the form of a sandwich, and its explosion-proof mechanism includes:
Energy absorption: When impacted, TPU lamination film disperses stress through elastic deformation to prevent glass from shattering.
Fragment adhesion: Even if the glass breaks, TPU lamination film can still firmly adhere to the fragments to prevent splashing and hurting people.
Multi-layer composite reinforcement: It can be combined with PVB film, PET film, etc. to form a more solid explosion-proof structure.
Experimental data show that the explosion-proof performance of glass curtain walls reinforced with TPU lamination film can be improved by 3-5 times compared with ordinary glass.
3. TPU film vs. traditional explosion-proof solutions: Advantages comparison
| Solution | Explosion-proof performance | Light transmittance | Cost | Maintenance difficulty | Applicability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tempered glass | Medium (breaks into obtuse particles) | High | Low | Low | Widely applicable |
| Laminated glass (PVB) | High (fragment adhesion) | Higher | Medium-high | Medium (easy to age) | High-end buildings |
| Explosion-proof film | Medium-high (depends on film thickness) | Low | Medium | High (needs regular replacement) | With building renovation |
| TPU film reinforced glass | Extremely high (impact resistance) | High | Medium-high | Low | Widely applicable |
4. Application status and challenges of TPU film
(1) Current application cases
Cayan Tower in Dubai: Some glass uses TPU interlayer to enhance wind pressure resistance
Singapore Hotel: Some glass is combined with advanced TPU technology to improve the safety level.
(2) Challenges
Although TPU film has obvious advantages, its popularization still faces the following problems:
High process requirements: Precision lamination technology is required. Unfortunately, most construction manufacturers do not have this technical capability.
Insufficient market awareness: Many developers still rely on traditional explosion-proof solutions.
However, Foundite has mastered precision lamination technology, advanced equipment, advanced technology, and advanced TPU interlayer film to create a mature technical system.
6. Conclusion: TPU film is an important direction for future explosion-proof glass
Overall, TPU film is expected to become the future standard for glass curtain walls of high-rise buildings with its excellent impact resistance, light transmittance and durability. It is likely to replace some traditional explosion-proof solutions and provide modern buildings with a safer and smarter glass protection system.
