Turf Team News

Latest news on product and technology developments for artificial turf applications from Dow’s artificial turf solutions team:

Yarn Polymers

Dow will launch at the FSB international trade show in Cologne an enhanced polyethylene resin specifically designed and produced for high-performance artificial turf systems. Based on the successful DOWLEX™ polyethylene resin design, the new grade provides artificial grass yarn producers with a single resin with the triple combination of high performance, easy processability, and versatility of application use. This enhanced DOWLEX grade elevates DOWLEX based turf systems into a high level of functional performance and resistance to wear and tear.

Infill/Shock Absorption

  • Dow polymers recently enabled a range of different technologies for infill, including:
    • Flexsand Action – a rubber coated sand used for infill material for artificial grass. This is the result of a co-development with a customer where PV Sand brings the process, based on Dow patented polymer technologies.
    • Runplast – a non-vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) compound from GoldenPlast in Italy. TPE infills are today on of the largest alternative to recycled tires in artificial turf.
    • TPV INFILL and TPV INPLAY – two products improving standards of artificial turf pitches and sports and play bonded surfaces developed by Rosehill Polymers and Dow.

Backing & Shock Absorption

  • Dow worked with four European manufacturers to produce artificial turf made with Dow polyurethane backing systems. All manufacturers started production in April 2007.
    • Lano Sport, based in Belgium, to produce DOW™ ENFORCER™ Sport backings and DOW™ ENFORCER™ Sport polyurethane foam for shock absorption. Find out more
    • Domenech Hermanos has also chosen to work with Dow to produce polyurethane backed artificial turf. Located in Spain, the company is producing artificial turf backed with DOW™ ENFORCER™ Sport. Find out more
    • Located in the United Arab Emirates, Standard Carpets is also producing artificial turf backed with DOW™ ENFORCER™ Sport. With the addition of Standard Carpets to the list of Dow’s polyurethane manufacturing partners, Dow now has exceptional geographic coverage throughout Europe and Middle East. Find out more
    • Desso Sports Systems use DOW™ ENHANCER™ polyurethane systems to produce artificial turf with an attached polyurethane shock pad.
  • Development work is ongoing for a new generation of higher solids S/B latexes specially designed for artificial turf backings. The new product is expected to have all the benefits of DL 552, the recognised latex industry standard for this application, as well as allow an increased customer production line speed.

System Design Center

Dow now offers technical expertise to its customers through the System Design Center. The center helps system designers and manufacturers understand the influence of polymer choice, yarn design and processing techniques on playing characteristics such as vertical ball rebound, angle ball rebound, ball roll and skin abrasion, as well as the mechanical properties such as skin-to-surface friction, rotational resistance, stability and durability of the grass product.