TPO هو اختصار لـ Thermoplastic Polyolefin وهو نوع من غشاء البوليمر أحادي الطبقة الذي يستخدم اللحام الحراري (الهواء الساخن) لتوصيل اللحامات. تم تطوير هذا النوع من الأغشية في الأصل في الثمانينيات وهو حاليًا الغشاء الأسرع نموًا في صناعة الأسقف والعزل المائي.
بالمقارنة مع نوع آخر من الأغشية، يجمع TPO بين العديد من المزايا مثل حقيقة أنه لا يحتوي على أي مكونات سامة أو خطرة وبالتالي فهو صديق للبيئة، أو أن خصائصه العاكسة للحرارة تجعله فعالاً للغاية في استخدام الطاقة.
Also, the TPO membranes are fully recyclable, so the impact on the environment is very low, but one of the best features is the fact that TPO doesn't contain plasticizers to be flexible, such as PVC membranes.
The polyolefin structure is flexible and it will stay flexible throughout its total life cycle, having unique benefits on the durability of the membrane.
Apart from the chemical differences between these two types of polymers, what is important is to explain the practical advantages of the PE in comparison with the PP.
PE is very flexible but also combines a very high tensile strength and abrasion resistance, making it the right option for a roofing membrane that needs to be resistant but at the same time very flexible. Another important advantage is that PE is more resistant to UV radiation than PP. This also has a very important advantage for a roofing membrane, because normally it is used exposed to direct sunlight.
Regarding temperatures, the PE is the best polymer to resist extreme temperatures. Especially the low temperatures can be very harmful to plastics. As the temperature is decreased, most polymers begin to stiffen up and they go through what is known as the ‘glass transition' (Tg) to become effectively glassy solids with all the properties of glass, so they become very hard and also very brittle and that originates cracks in the membrane. With a glass transition around -100 ºC, the PE based membrane is the best option to resist low or extremely low temperatures, so we can say it is by far the best choice for low temperature climates.
Also, the high temperatures may cause premature softening of the materials and make them lose its properties. As the temperature goes up, polymers soften and lose its ability to resist mechanical impact, and if stressed may easily crack. In this particular the PE KOSTER uses has a softening point similar PP, but better than other types of membranes such as PVC or Bitumen.
This means that PE can resist better to a wider amplitude of temperatures, than other material used to produce waterproofing and roofing membranes.
Another important aspect is that roofing materials are normally exposed to chemical and pollution aggressions, and that constitutes another advantage of the PE, that it is resistant to almost all polar solvents, such as acids, alkalis, alcohols, and oil.
KOSTER is one of the oldest and few TPO manufacturers in the world and it has nearly 30 years of experience in the production of single ply thermoplastic roofing and waterproofing membranes. This gives us a solid experience that very few can offer. Also, apart from the general advantages of all TPO membranes, KOSTER also adds value by being one of the few that produces PE based TPO with all its advantages (most known competitors produce PP based TPO).
But lastly, KOSTER still offers a unique characteristic in its membranes. Unlike the competitors, both top and lower layers are produced using the same quality material, giving the membrane a perfect UV stability throughout the whole thickness and ensuring the most perfect and homogenous welding of the seams.
