Cases of using TPU film technology for medical protective clothing

A typical case of using TPU film technology for medical protective clothing appeared during the COVID-19 epidemic. At that time, the demand for medical protective clothing surged, and composite fabrics with TPU film as the core became one of the mainstream choices. This type of protective clothing fabric usually adopts a three-layer composite structure. The outer layer is polypropylene spunbond non-woven fabric, the middle layer is TPU moisture-permeable film, and the inner layer is soft, skin-friendly non-woven fabric. The three layers of materials are bonded into one through a hot-melt composite process.

TPU film is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer material with excellent waterproof and breathable properties. Water vapor molecules can be diffused and discharged through the film, but liquid water and blood cannot permeate, forming an effective barrier to bacteria and viruses. In practical applications, medical protective clothing made of TPU film composite fabric has a hydrostatic pressure of more than 10,000 Pa, and a moisture permeability of more than 2,500 grams per square meter per day, which meets the technical requirements for medical disposable protective clothing. It not only ensures protection safety, but also improves the stuffy experience of medical staff wearing it for a long time.

In terms of specific applications, in addition to protective clothing body fabrics, TPU films are also used for heat-sealing tapes at the seams of protective clothing. The pinholes after the protective clothing is sewn are the weak points of protection. TPU hot melt tape is used and pressed at high temperature by a heat sealing machine to completely seal the pinholes and ensure that there are no dead ends in the overall protection. In addition, medical textiles such as surgical gowns and isolation gowns also draw heavily on this technology.

Compared with traditional PE breathable films, TPU films feel softer, have better elasticity, and have better hydrolysis and aging resistance. They do not need to add plasticizers, which avoids the risk of harmful substances leaching out. They can also be recycled and reused after disposal. Therefore, they have been continuously promoted and applied in the field of medical protection.