PoliFoil® Aluminum, Copper, and "Pearl" Low-E Materials for Insulation Systems, Consumer Apparel, Window Coverings, and Industrial Applications
PoliFoil® low emissivity facer materials include metallized aluminum, copper alloy, and pearlescent (or "Pearl") films reflecting as much as 97% radiant heat energy. All PoliFoil films are designed to seal to fabrics, foams, polyethylene bubble assemblies, papers, rigid boards and virtually any base material that requires a low emissivity surface for managing radiant heat energy.
PoliFoil ALUMINUM
PoliFoil® ALUMINUM films and fabrics, in addition to the deposition of metallized aluminum, incorporate a number of technologies and proprietary techniques that make them the most advanced (and easy to work with) low-e materials on the market today. PoliFoil ALUMINUM products are available in a variety of structures depending on the end-use application. PoliFoil ALUMINUM films are ideal for laminated structures. PoliFoil ALUMINUM textiles are ideal for performance apparel and window covering applications.
Expand/Collapse to expand this section to learn about PoliFoil ALUMINUM and what differentiates it from the competition.PoliFoil PEARL
Quite simply SigMaterials PEARL low-e facer films are just that - pearlescent in appearance with low-e characteristics that are comparable to conventional metallized aluminum and copper alloy films. SigMaterials PEARL films are available in widths up to 98" and are easily laminated to fabrics and other films. PoliFoil PEARL low-e films are ideal for insulation applications where the "cold" appearance of aluminum is not desired. PoliFoil PEARL products are also ideally suited for window covering applications that require a more decorative appearance.
PoliFoil COPPER
Just as the name would suggest, PoliFoil COPPER low-e films use copper to reflect radiant heat energy. Why COPPER? Copper has a much different appearance compared to PoliFoil ALUMINUM and PEARL products. Additionally, PoliFoil COPPER films exhibit lower emittance values compared to ALUMINUM and PEARL; whereas ALUMINUM and PEARL films guarantee and emittance value of 0.05 or less, many PoliFoil COPPER films have an emittance value of less than 0.04.
The PoliFoil ALUMINUM Difference
Most metallized aluminum facer products utilize fairly simple, and dated, production techniques that are not very effective in protecting the metallized aluminum layer, which is very thin and highly susceptible to oxidation and corrosion.
Inline Plasma Passivation
Metallized aluminum is deposited in a vacuum and is highly reactive. Typically, the first thing the reactive aluminum sees is the back side of the film onto which it is deposited (during rewinding). This reaction can lead to the formation of aluminum hydroxides and other sub-oxides that are not visible to the human eye but reduce the durability of the deposited aluminum layer. PoliFoil Aluminum films are different in that the freshly deposited aluminum is treated with an oxygen plasma immediately after deposition and before rewinding to create a comparatively pure protective aluminum oxide layer (approximately 10nm in thickness) that is substantially devoid of harmful hydrated aluminum oxide. This process of passivating the aluminum layer results in a more durable aluminum layer that is less susceptible to corrosion and oxidation.
VaporPhase Encapsulation
All metallized aluminum facer materials (as well as bulk foils) require protection from moisture. Conventional techniques rely on atmospheric roll coating processes that are not capable of depositing organic layers thinner that 0.50 microns. A general rule is the thicker the protective layer - the more infrared is absorbed (not reflected). Using Sigma's VaporPhase encapsulation process, deposited aluminum is protected with a super-thin (< 0.20 microns), pinhole-free, organic layer specially formulated to withstand heat and moisture. The result is a durable low-e film with an emittance that is relatively unchanged from its uncoated state.
Straight to Polyethylene
Applications that require lamination to a PE-based substrate (bubble insulation products, for example) typically rely on metallized polypropylene or polyester films as facer materials. These films DO NOT seal to polyethylene; therefore, they require one or more layers to be applied to promote seal-ability. Though PoliFoil ALUMINUM films are available using polyester film as a based substrate, Sigma's VaporPhase Encapsulation technology allows for the deposition of visibly shiny, low-e layers, directly onto polyethylene films. This means NO SEALANT LAYERS are required, resulting in a simpler product that is easy to apply and has better bond strength to PE-based core materials.