How to choose the foam polyethylene for insulation and sound insulation of premises

Contents

1. Advantages and disadvantages of foamed polyethylene
2. Types of foamed polyethylene
3. Choosing foamed polyethylene
4. The largest manufacturers on the market in Russia

Polyethylene has long been very popular and well known to each of us in a transparent film. Who would have thought that the same material could also be used as an as a reliable heat and sound insulator .It has unique properties, but at the same time its price is available, which allows this material to become more and more common. What he won the domestic user, and what are the most important basics of choosing polyethylene foam?

Polyethylene foam was first obtained more than 50 years ago, and is already well known in many European countries and America. The unique properties of this material allowed him to conquer and domestic users. It is made on the basis of conventional polyethylene, and as a result, many separate closed pores are formed, giving the foamed polyethylene unique heat, noise, and waterproofing properties.

Advantages and disadvantages of

foamed polyethylene. This heat and sound insulation material is unique in its combination of properties. The list of its advantages include:

• low thermal conductivity coefficient , which is 0.031-0.038 W / m * K.In practice, this means that quite a bit of material will be enough to create an effective insulation layer. So, a layer of foamed polyethylene of 2 cm is equivalent to 10 cm of mineral wool, namely this insulation is now used most often;
• excellent sound insulation , which is achieved thanks to the peculiarities of the internal structure of the material. So, polyethylene foam with a thickness of 20 mm can reduce the level of external noise by 6 times, and you will be protected from the rumble of cars, trampling and conversations of neighbors;
• material possesses extremely low water absorption , so it can be used under any conditions;
• foamed polyethylene durable, elastic and resilient , all of these qualities remain even when the temperature drops to -600C;
• material does not rot , it does not develop fungus or mold;
• is durable , and its service life reaches 100 years;
• such heat insulation is easy to transport and install ;
• a huge range of products, since polyethylene foam can be additionally reinforced, covered with foil, to have components that make it more durable, for example;
• low price is one of the most powerful arguments for choosing this particular heat and sound insulator. Cost allows you to buy it almost anyone.

The only minus of this material is its ability to quickly ignite, but even this property can be reduced almost to nothing with the addition of fire retardants, special substances that make the material more resistant to high temperatures and prevent ignition.

Types of foamed polyethylene

To date, several types of this material are produced, which allows you to choose the best option for each case.

So, in the manufacture of this heat and sound insulator high or low pressure polyethylene can be used. The finished material may have a slightly different structure:

• foamy;
• cellular;
• Pore.

Depending on the scope of use, the material can be produced in different forms :

• sheet foamed polyethylene is indispensable for insulation and sound insulation of walls, ceilings, roofs, foundations;
• tile ;
• tubes have found application, if necessary, to perform heat and sound insulation of ventilation ducts, door or window openings, etc.;
• films are great for greenhouses;
• coated .So, the material can be foil on one side, and then it is great for warming walls behind a radiator to reflect all the radiated energy. If the foil is two-sided, then it is good to use the material for warming the roof, because in this case the rays of the sun and heat from the heating elements will be reflected, and the optimum indoor climate will be easily maintained in winter and summer.

But most often foamed polyethylene is divided into unstitched and stitched, depending on the molecular structure.

Unstitched polyethylene fully preserves the structure of the molecules and molecular bonds of polyethylene. It is made of polyethylene by the extrusion method by adding a blowing agent, which foams the original product. Previously, freons were used as the gas forming agent, which, due to the high heat of evaporation, were ideal for this process. Now, after banning the use of freons that destroy the ozone layer, propanobutane mixture or isobutane is used instead. All transformations occur in an extruder, after leaving which, with a sharp drop in pressure, the gas begins to expand, forming bubbles. And since the temperature outside the extruder is much lower, the ready mass quickly hardens. The final product is a translucent material with many large pores. Its strength is inferior to cross-linked polyethylene, because here the intermolecular bonds are much weaker. This dictates the scope of unstitched polyethylene foam.

This type of polyethylene foam is widely used by as a heat and sound insulator in residential and industrial construction , and also as an insulator from water and condensate, but only in those rooms where it will not be affected by heavy loads and high temperatures. In European countries, this material is used as packaging for a variety of items, even fragile ones, as it dampens shock loads. In the food industry, it has found application due to its complete hygiene and inertia.

Crosslinked polyethylene is produced by chemical or radiation method. The chemical method involves melting polyethylene under high pressure together with reaction initiators and antioxidants. Peroxides, which often act as an initiator of the reaction, undergo a whole series of transformations, thus forming bonds between the individual molecules of polyethylene. A similar effect can be obtained when an energy beam is exposed to polyethylene, which is the radiation method, the method of obtaining material. As a result, polyethylene foam gets a fine-grained structure, which determines its greater resistance to stress, chemicals, moisture and temperature.

Cross-linked polyethylene is a more versatile material, reliable heat and sound insulator, which can be used in a wide temperature range, which determines its distribution. It is excellent for warming walls, ceilings, ceilings, floors, pipelines, it is often used simply as a sound insulator or for waterproofing foundations, cellars and basements. In addition, this material has acquired a huge distribution in engineering, automotive, medicine. To insulate the apartment, it is better to choose precisely cross-linked polyethylene foam in order to obtain a more durable, durable and reliable coating that will certainly cope with any loads.

Selection of foamed polyethylene

Since this heat and sound insulator relatively recently began to be used in domestic construction, so few people are guided in its range and can choose the most suitable material. So, in some cases it is appropriate to use foil polyethylene , which is great for indoor interior insulation. It can be attached to heating radiators so that the heat does not go outside, and, being reflected, it returns to the room. It is also appropriate to warm the floor and ceiling in such a way so as not to give off heat to neighbors or the atmosphere. Such material is even mounted on the door. It remains the same effective barrier to noise, and besides it is also used when insulating pipes, ventilation systems, in parallel protecting them from ultraviolet rays and vibrations. It can be used for insulation and sound insulation of walls, partitions, attics and attic. As mentioned above, double foiling shows itself perfectly when the roof is being warmed, while maintaining the optimum temperature indoors in winter and summer.

For the insulation of walls and ceilings, sheets and rolls of expanded polyethylene are most often used, which may differ in some parameters( thickness, length, width).In addition, special substrates for laminate, drywall and parquet are being produced, which are designed to perform several functions at once, incl.to be an additional support, leveling the surface and parallel soundproofing the room. is a separate substrate for underfloor marking for underfloor heating. Such material allows maximum use of the allocated heat, which will not go to neighboring rooms. Also on sale is polyethylene for insulating pipelines, window and door openings , which is also known by the individual name vilaterm. Depending on the situation, one type of foam polyethylene is chosen.

It is easy to distinguish cross-linked polyethylene from unstitched. The latter will give out more pores, it will be more brittle and less durable. Sewn is more expensive, but it is preferable, especially when you want to make the most durable heat and sound insulation. The fact that unstitched polyethylene is not used for building insulation in Europe already speaks volumes, therefore only cross-linked should be used for warming.

The largest manufacturers on the Russian market

The name of the manufacturer becomes the best benchmark in terms of product quality. So who can you trust?

1. Armacell is a large German company that also produces thermal insulation based on expanded polyethylene. It is sold under the brand name Tubolit in almost all countries of the world. The products have become synonymous with the highest quality, since the technology of its manufacture is constantly being improved, numerous studies are being conducted, equipment is being updated, and the range is being expanded so that the materials are as efficient and convenient to use. All this allows the company to occupy a leading position in the world.
2. Odeflex is a Turkish manufacturer that offers expanded polyethylene in tubes and rolls. A few years ago, the products of this company were widely represented on the domestic market, but now it is increasingly being supplanted by national manufacturers.
3. Stroytekhizolyatsiya LLC is a company located in Belarus and actively exporting its products to the Russian market. The range includes tubes of different thickness and diameter, designed for thermal insulation of pipelines, air conditioning systems, industrial systems. They are marketed under the name Steinoflex 400 and have a longitudinal slit that facilitates the installation process. Also available is Steinophon 290, a universal heat and sound insulating material, which is supplied in the form of mats of different thickness without coating, or folded on one or two sides.
4. Bilaveri is a major Ukrainian producer of polyethylene foam. The range includes rolled material, with or without foil coating, pipe insulation, and sealing harnesses. The company values ​​its reputation, therefore it produces only the highest quality products, confirmed by numerous certificates. The manufacturer is widely known in the Ukrainian market and begins to conquer the CIS countries.
5. Euro-isolation Plus LLC is a domestic company that has been known in the foamed polyethylene market since 2008.Products known under the brand "Euroisolation", is made on the most modern equipment using new technologies that are constantly being improved. The quality of products is supported by relevant documentation, incl.certificate of conformity and sanitary-epidemiological conclusion. The range includes foam polyethylene mats, pipe insulation, damping tape, self-adhesive insulation, underfloor heating, and foil insulation.
6. Izodom LLC is the largest Russian manufacturer of polyethylene foam insulation materials. The company is located in Voronezh, it has been operating since 2006, it distributes its products throughout the country and in the countries of the near abroad. The manufacturer is trying to constantly improve the production technology and expand the product range of products, so now its products are represented by a huge range from the substrate and reflective insulation to mats and harnesses.
7. OJSC Izhevsk Plastics Plant - an enterprise that was founded in 1985.At the beginning of this century, the production of polyethylene foam was mastered: it is produced both in a crosslinked and unsewn way, and the product range is constantly expanding.
8. LLC ETIOL - a company that was formed in 1991 on the site of OAO Polimersintez. Engaged in plastics processing, and recently began the production of polyethylene foam, which is already actively used in various fields throughout the country.