- Durometer: Polyurethane comes in a variety of hardnesses. Durometer is the measure of the hardness of a particular material. Most elastomers are measured on the Shore A scale for durometer. American Polyfilm offers polyurethane films that measure from 70 to 95 on the Shore A durometer scale. The higher durometer grades yield a very tough product with very high puncture resistance and very high abrasion resistance. The lower durometer grades exhibit a very supple quality and feel very soft against human skin, making it an ideal product for use in the medical field.
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- Elongation: One of polyurethane film's most desirable qualities is its elongation capabilities. Many of our films are able to withstand 800% elongation before breaking. The material also has excellent memory, meaning that it will return to its original dimensions after being stretched to its limit.
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- Long-Term Durability: Polyurethane is manufactured without the use of plasticizers, which means it will retain its original performance characteristics. Not having plasticizers also means it will not leach out hazardous compounds in the field. This is of particular importance in the medical industry.
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- Low Temperature Flexibility: Polyurethane film has excellent low temperature flexibility. Most films retain their flexibility even when exposed to temperatures as low as -60ºF, making it a perfect material for demanding environments.
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- Tensile Strength: Our films have tensile strengths that range from 4000-9500 psi. It is this strength that makes polyurethane film outperform a multitude of other materials. Because the material is so much stronger than other polymers, our customers are able to use less material while maintaining, or even improving, the strength of the product.
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- Biocompatibility / Anti-Microbial: Some grades of our films are inherently antimicrobial while others can have anti-microbial compounds added to them in process. Some grades of our film have been found to be highly biocompatible.
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- Environmental Impact: Polyurethane is an earth friendly material. With the proper equipment, it can be recycled easily and does not release hazardous compounds when being processed or recycled.
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- Application Flexibility: Polyurethane is a thermoplastic elastomer, meaning it can be melted and re-melted numerous times. This quality is of particular interest to companies doing work that involves altering the film's shape. Polyurethane film can be vacuum or thermoformed and still retain its flexibility and performance. The material can also be welded to form irregular shapes.
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- Abrasion Resistance: Polyurethane film handily outperforms many other common polymers when it comes to abrasion resistance. Abrasion resistance is measured by weighing the amount of material is lost when a material is subjected to a grinding wheel. Below is a table with comparative abrasion results. Lower numbers are better.
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