BREATHABLE MEMBRANES AND LAMINATES
Breathable Liquid-Barrier Membranes and Laminates for technical and medical application
EXTEN products sold under the brand name SMYLEX aremicroembossed waterproof and breathable membranes, based on Monolithic Co-Polyester Polymers, which offer the highest breathability to extruded materials although no opening can be found on the surface but a perfect barrier structure, so good to measure 10 mts Hydrohead.
SMYLEX is not a micropourous film, so it is not the result of Calcium Carbonate addition and film stretching and it is not a perforated film. In fact our SMYLEX membranes can breathe thanks to an absorption -> diffusion -> desorption model. The water vapour molecules are absorbed by the amorphous, more polar soft-block phase and therefore no physical perforation in the structure is needed. Once the absorption of water vapour molecules is achieved, the diffusion through the film takes place and finally the desorption from the film surface occurs.
The very high breathability offered by our SMYLEX membranes is guaranteed also thanks to the low thickness (down to 10my), the microembossing (which increases surface area) and the absence of additives.
Our SMYLEX membranes are perfect barrier against liquids and they comply with EN13795 in order to guarantee resistance to Liquids and to Bacteria penetration. At the same time, it has to be taken into due account that SMYLEX is complying also with EN ISO 10993-5 and therefore is not Cytotoxic.
These membranes are already studied and applied for special plasters and special bandage as a perfect alternative to ancient Polyurethane structures.
In addition to this, where breathable laminates are demanded in accordance with EN 13795 (ex. Surgical Gowns reinforcement), because of the well-known unsuitability of the micropourous laminates which cannot perfectly resist Bacteria penetration, our SMYLEX membranes can be hot-melt coupled with various nonwovens and they completely meets the medical market requirements.
SMYLEX rolls offer a very good unwinding thanks to the microembossing; the low stickiness at room temperature excludes reels blocking issues. It is also easily laminated onto nonwovens and textiles with standard TPU hot-melt adhesive.
It is important to remember that our SMYLEX does not require CARRIERS (which is needed at Polyurethane membranes) and consequently represents a quite significant advantage for converters.