Performance Characteristics Of Plastic Flooring

1. Appearance quality. This encompasses color, pattern, gloss, flatness, and the absence of defects or cracks. Generally, when viewed from a distance of 60 cm, there should be no visible unevenness, irregularities in gloss or color tone, or cracks.
2. Comfort underfoot. The plastic flooring must maintain good elastic recovery under long-term or cyclic loads. The surface should be resilient, providing a soft and comfortable feel when walking.
3. Water resistance. It must withstand washing and remain free from deformation, loss of gloss, or fading when exposed to water.
4. Dimensional stability. There are strict requirements regarding the dimensions of flooring tiles or planks.
5. Quality stability. Control of low-molecular-weight volatile substances in the plastic is essential, as volatilization affects both flooring quality and human health. Quality stability is deemed acceptable if the weight loss of a test specimen is less than 0.5% after 6 hours in a constant-temperature forced-air oven at (100 ± 3)°C.
6. Abrasion resistance. This is a key performance indicator. Materials with excellent abrasion resistance must be selected for high-traffic areas. Technical standards for abrasion resistance are met if a 110 mm diameter specimen tested on a rotary Taber abrader shows a weight loss of less than 0.5 g per 1,000 revolutions and a volume loss of less than 0.2 cm³ per 1,000 revolutions.
7. Scratch resistance. Surface scratch resistance is tested using pencils of varying hardness in a scratch-testing machine; the material is required to withstand a hardness level of 4H or higher.
8. Flame retardancy. When heated in air, plastics can easily burn, emit smoke, melt and drip, or even release toxic gases. For instance, while PVC flooring is flame-retardant, combustion causes the release of hydrogen chloride gas and dense smoke, posing health risks. Fire safety standards dictate the use of flame-retardant, self-extinguishing plastic flooring.
9. Corrosion and stain resistance. Poor-quality flooring may develop spots or blisters when exposed to chemicals and may fade or lose gloss when stained; therefore, careful selection is required.
10. Durability and other properties. Exposure to atmospheric conditions can cause plastic flooring to undergo aging-manifesting as loss of gloss, discoloration, cracking, and structural damage. Since durability is difficult to assess through a single measurement, it must be evaluated via long-term observation; however, comparative selection can be facilitated by simulated tests-such as accelerated artificial aging and carbon-arc UV exposure-by analyzing changes in whiteness and the degradation of mechanical strength. The material must also exhibit good performance in other areas, including impact resistance, slip resistance, thermal conductivity, antistatic properties, and electrical insulation.