Weather resistance test of TPU film composite cotton fabric in outdoor billboards

1. Introduction

In the process of modern urbanization, outdoor billboards, as an important carrier of information dissemination, play an indispensable role in brand promotion and cultural dissemination. However, the complexity and variability of the outdoor environment poses serious challenges to the weather resistance of advertising materials. As a new functional fabric, TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) film composite cotton has gradually become a popular choice in the field of outdoor advertising with its excellent physical properties and environmental protection characteristics. This paper aims to deeply explore the weather resistance performance of TPU film composite cotton fabrics in outdoor billboards, and evaluate its practical application potential through systematic testing methods.

In recent years, with the intensification of global climate change and frequent extreme weather, the weather resistance of outdoor advertising materials has attracted more and more attention. Although traditional PVC materials are cheap, they have defects such as fast aging speed and easy cracking and falling off, and are difficult to recycle, which poses a great burden to the environment. In contrast, TPU film composite cotton not only has good flexibility, wear resistance and UV resistance, but also has high environmental value and can meet the requirements of the modern advertising industry for sustainable development. In addition, the unique laminated structure of this material gives it excellent waterproof and breathable properties, allowing it to remain stable in harsh climates.

The core objective of this study is to comprehensively evaluate its service life and performance under different environmental conditions by conducting systematic weather resistance testing of TPU film composite cotton. The article will combine new research results at home and abroad to analyze in detail the changes of the material under various typical outdoor working conditions such as high temperature, low temperature, ultraviolet radiation, humidity and heat circulation, and provide a scientific basis for relevant companies to optimize product design. At the same time, this article will also compare the performance differences between TPU film composite cotton cloth and other common advertising materials to further verify its advantages in practical applications.

The following content will be discussed from multiple dimensions such as material parameters, testing methods and result analysis, and strive to present a comprehensive and in-depth technical perspective for readers.

2. Basic parameters and structural characteristics of TPU film composite cotton cloth

TPU film composite cotton cloth is a functional composite material composed of thermoplastic polyurethane film combined with natural or synthetic fiber fabrics through a special process. Its unique laminated structure imparts excellent mechanical properties and environmental adaptability to the material, making it an ideal choice for outdoor billboards. The following are the main parameters and structural characteristics of TPU film composite cotton cloth:

(I) Basic Material Parameters

(Bi) Structural Characteristics

TPU film composite cotton cloth adopts a “sandwich” structural design, which specifically includes the following three main levels:

1. External layer: TPU protective film

   • Function: Provides excellent UV resistance, anti-fouling and wear resistance.
   • Features: smooth and delicate surface, easy to clean and maintain; has strong chemical stability and can resist acid and alkali corrosion.

2. Intermediate layer: Reinforced substrate

   • Material: High-density polyester fiber or cotton fiber fabric is usually used.
   • Function: As the carrier body, it provides sufficient mechanical support to ensure the stability of the overall structure.
   • Features:Lightweight design, with flexibility and strength.

3. Inner layer: functional coating

   • Function: Enhanced waterproof, heat insulation or antibacterial properties.
   • Features: Special functional coatings can be added according to the specific purpose, such as flame retardants or anti-mold agents.

(III) Foreign literature support

According to the D412 Rubber and Plastic Tensile Performance Test Standards issued by the American Society of Materials and Testing (ASTM), TPU film composite cotton has performed significantly better than other similar materials in terms of tensile strength and elongation at break (ASTM). , 2022). In addition, a study by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany showed that after 800 hours of continuous ultraviolet irradiation, TPU materials have a performance decay rate of only 5%, which is far lower than 25% of traditional PVC materials (Fraunhofer Institute, 2021).

These data fully demonstrate the superior performance of TPU film composite cotton cloth in outdoor environments, laying a solid foundation for its wide application in the billboard field.

3. Weather resistance testing methods and experimental design

In order to accurately evaluate the weather resistance of TPU film composite cotton cloth in outdoor billboards, this paper designs a series of standardized test plans, covering multiple key indicators such as high temperature, low temperature, ultraviolet radiation, and humid and heat circulation. The following are the specific test methods and experimental design details:

(I) Test items and standards

(II) Experimental Design

1. Sample Preparation

• Size Specifications: All test samples were cut into 10cm×10cm standard squares.
• Quantity Requirements: Each test item prepares 5 sets of parallel samples to ensure data reliability.
• Pretreatment Steps: Place the sample in a standard laboratory environment (temperature 23°C, humidity 50% ± 5%) for 24 hours.

2. Data collection

• Use high-precision sensors to record the changes in various performance parameters, including tensile strength, elongation at break, color changes (ΔE value), surface roughness, etc.
• Sample and test every time a certain time interval (such as 100 hours or 1 cycle) to draw the performance decay curve.

3. Comparative Analysis

• Comparing the test results of TPU film composite cotton with traditional PVC materials, highlighting its advantages in weather resistance.

(III) References to foreign literature

A study from the University of Cambridge in the UK pointed out that by combining infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technology, the microstructure changes of materials during aging can be observed more intuitively (Cambridge University, 2020). In addition, Tokyo University of Technology has developed a performance prediction model based on machine learning algorithms that can identify potential failure risks in advance (Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2021). These advanced technologies provide important reference for the experimental design of this paper.

IV. Analysis of test results

We have obtained a large amount of valuable data by conducting a comprehensive weather resistance test on TPU film composite cotton. The following is a detailed analysis of each test project:

(I) High temperature aging test

The high-temperature aging test results show that the TPU film composite cotton cloth has tensile strength under continuous heating conditions of 500 hours.It only dropped by about 8%, while the elongation of break remains above 90% of the initial value. In contrast, the tensile strength of traditional PVC materials decreased by more than 30%, and there was obvious softening.

(II) UV accelerated aging test

After 1000 hours of ultraviolet irradiation, the color change (ΔE value) of the TPU film composite cotton cloth was only 3.5, which is much lower than the 8.2 of PVC material. This shows that the TPU film has excellent UV resistance and can effectively prevent fading and powdering.

(III) Humidity and heat cycle test

After 20 moisture and heat cycle tests, the waterproof performance of TPU film composite cotton cloth has not decreased significantly, and the moisture permeability has always been maintained above 4000g/m²·24h. This result fully reflects its stable performance under complex climate conditions.

(IV) Salt spray corrosion test

In the 96-hour salt spray corrosion test, the TPU film composite cotton fabric showed excellent corrosion resistance and no rust or peeling on the surface was present. In contrast, PVC materials are prone to electrolytic reactions due to their strong hygroscopicity, resulting in rapid deterioration.

5. Comparison of performance of TPU film composite cotton cloth with other materials

To more intuitively demonstrate the advantages of TPU film composite cotton, we comprehensively compare it with several common outdoor advertising materials:

From the table above, it can be seen that TPU film compositeCottons perform well in terms of tensile strength, UV resistance and environmental protection, and are especially suitable for billboards that are exposed to outdoor environments for a long time.

VI. Source of reference

1. ASTM International. (2022). Standard Test Method for Rubber and Plastic—Tensile Properties. ASTM D412.
2. Fraunhofer Institute. (2021). Study on the Durability of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Materials under UV Exposure.
3. Cambridge University. (2020). Advanced Characterization Techniques for Polymer Degradation Analysis.
4. Tokyo Institute of Technology. (2021). Machine Learning-Based Predictive Modeling for Material Performance Assessment.
5. Baidu Encyclopedia. (2023). TPU film composite cotton entries and related information.

Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-12-607. html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product -0-985.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-4-124.html
Extended reading: https://www.china-fire-retardant.com/post/9378.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-8-274.html
Extended reading: https://www.alltextile.cn/product/product-37-335.html
Extended reading: https://www.brandfabric.net/full-dull-dobby- print-pongee-breathable-fabric/