Polyurethane laminate (PUL, thermal stretch, fuzzy rubber) is a compound fabric made by laminating a cloth fabric to one or both sides of a thin film of polyurethane. Polyurethane laminated fabrics have a wide range of applications in medical, automotive and garment uses. Most PUL fabric is made by laminating lightweight

polyester Polyester is a category of polymers that contain the ester functional group in every repeat unit of their main chain. As a specific material, it most commonly refers to a type called polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Polyesters include natural ...

interlock knit

fabric Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

to a 1mm thick film of

polyurethane Polyurethane (; often abbreviated PUR and PU) refers to a class of polymers composed of organic chemistry, organic units joined by carbamate (urethane) links. In contrast to other common polymers such as polyethylene and polystyrene, polyurethan ...

. There are two processes used for lamination: solvent lamination, which fuses the fabric and polyurethane film into a single monolithic fabric, and hot melt, which uses heat-activated glue to adhere the fabrics together. Woven fabric and fleece fabric can also be used, but a stiff fabric will drastically reduce the elasticity of the finished laminate.

Use

PU laminate cloth is waterproof, breathes and stretches somewhat, and is soft and flexible. It can usually be machine-washed and dried, and cleaned with dilute bleach or alcohol. PU fabric is useful as a wind and/or water barrier in the construction of fluid-splash protecting garments, shower curtains, and outerwear

clothing Clothing (also known as clothes, apparel, and attire) are items worn on the body. Typically, clothing is made of fabrics or textiles, but over time it has included garments made from animal skin and other thin sheets of materials and natural ...

. It is used for upholstery, especially in cars and restaurants.A GUIDE TO HIGH PERFORMANCE POLYURETHANE UPHOLSTERY FABRICS
/ref> It is used in watersports clothing and equipment. PUL is used for tents and waterproofing backpacks. Because it can be readily cleaned and sterilized, PUL is used for medical bedding, mattress protectors, reusable incontinence products, diapers/nappies, wet bags, and

cloth menstrual pad Cloth menstrual pads are cloth pads worn in the underwear to collect menstrual fluid (blood from uterine lining). They are a type of reusable menstrual hygiene product, and are an alternative to sanitary napkins or to menstrual cups. Because t ...

Materials and degradability

There are many different polyurethane blends and resin types, which vary in durability, resistance to heat, ambient humidity, and light, and the maximum temperature they will stand (some, for medical use, are autoclavable). Resistance is measured by accelerated aging in a harsh controlled environment; the number of weeks survived is expressed as a ''hydrolysis resistance'' in units of years (expected under normal conditions). Apart from heat and humidity, bleach, salt, and chlorine can also shorten coating life. If PUL is kept wet for a long time, it disintegrates into the water and sticks to itself, though it will probably go mouldy first. If the polyurethane starts delaminating from the fabric, it may be possible to relaminate it with care and a hot iron. If the PU coating has decayed, it can be replaced.

References

Technical fabrics {{textile-stub

Use

Materials and degradability

See also

References