Impact on peel strength, tensile strength and shear viscosity of the addition of functionalized low density polyethylene to a thermoplastic polyurethane sheet calendered on a polyester fabric

Abstract

Coated technical textiles are widely used for several industrial applications. Most of these coated fabrics are made with a polyester fabric and a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coating but in order to reduce the environmental impact, the producers are willing to substitute PVC by thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). However, a technological lock of the calendering of TPU on polyester fabric is the ability to get a good adhesion of the coating on the fabric. Producers could increase the temperatures of extrusion of the coating but TPU have a short range of extrusion temperatures making it difficult to extrude. One solution is to make a blend with another polymer which has a higher extrusion temperature range. In the present work, the studies of the addition of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (LLDPE-g-Ma) in polyurethane coating on the tensile strength of the sheet and on the peel strength with a polyester fabric have been studied as well as the influence of the extrusion temperature. SEM observations, FTIR spectrums, and viscosity measurements have been performed to understand the behavior of the different blends. Results show that extrusion temperature and penetration depth of the coating in the fabric have a positive influence on the peel strength.