Types of Christmas Trees: choosing a Christmas tree, is like choosing from a vast range of Masterflex Polyurethane Hoses / PVC Hoses, can be a real challenge!
When we decide to go for an artificial tree, instead of a real one, we’re onto the next step: pine, fir or spruce; but do we ever pick the type of material best for a realistic looking artificial Christmas tree?
PVC & Polyurethane Christmas Trees
Christmas Trees are either Polyurethane (PU) or Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or can be a mixture of these chemicals. PVC and PU are thermoplastic materials and are moldable into a variety of shapes; but depending on various factors, one material may be a better choice than the other.
These two common materials, also used in the manufacture of Masterflex hoses, lead the way in artificial tree making.
The cheaper artificial Christmas trees are usually PVC in material, but are the more expensive trees made using PU any better?
PU together with PVC any better?
The answer is here:
Advantages of using PVC in Trees
PVC offers great life expectancy, good flexibility, transparency and is cheaper than PU. Therefore, trees made entirely from PVC are less expensive than ones made from PU alone or ones mixed with PVC.
Dyed PVC / PU Granuals Raw Form For Production
Advantages of using PU alone, or together with PVC, in Christmas Trees
Polyurethane offers high stretchability like rubber that’s superior to PVC. Being light, durable with excellent weathering characteristics set polyurethane apart. Most importantly, Christmas tree needles (leaves) made from PU own an exemplary appearance. The PU branches produced from mould casts, taken from real natural tree branches to replicate them down to the needle, are flawless.
Types of Christmas Trees: PVC & PU Christmas Tree
The more expensive PU trees are dyed with varying colour pigments to recreate natural colour, texture and structure of real trees; the central branch can be as brown as nature intended, while the rest would feature a perfect, beautiful realistic green gradient.
Christmas Tree Needles
Therefore the deciding factor, between these types of Christmas trees, depends on the specifics of your needs and budget.
Masterflex PVC & Polyurethane Hoses
Masterflex manufactures both PVC hoses & PU hoses and the majority of Masterflex, manufactured, suction and transport hose use high-performance polyurethane.
- Polyurethane is an ideal choice for use in chemical industries for handling industrial fumes, oils, gasses, vapours and other fluids, including, kerosene and paraffin; with better abrasion resistance, especially at higher temperatures making them suitable for the transportation of solid media (dust, powders, granules) up to 90 degrees Celsius. Such applications include sawdust extraction and transportation of pellets in the transportation industry.
- PVC, unlike PU, is resistant to acids; and so PVC hoses/ducts are used for transporting acidic media.
Technical Comparison between PVC & PU
PVC and PU have very different physical & chemical properties:
| PVC | PU | |
| Abrasion Resistance | Good | Excellent |
| Temperature Resistance | -20 to +70 degrees | -40 to + 90 degrees |
| Oil Resistance | Poor | Good |
| Acid Resistance | Good | Poor |
| Mechanical wear | Good | Excellent |
| Tear resistance | Poor | Excellent |
With many years of manufacturing PVC & Polyurethane hoses, Masterflex offers a range of high-quality hoses, ducting, connectors and expert advice for your unique application needs.
Should you require further advice, please Contact Masterflex UK:
For Online Quotation or Advice, Please Click Here:
Masterflex Technical Hoses Limited
Units G – H, Prince of Wales Business Park,
Vulcan Street, Oldham, OL1 4ER
Tel: 0161 626 8066 Fax: 0161 626 9066
Email: info@masterflex-uk.com or
alternatively,
visit www.masterflex-hose.co.uk