In tensile membrane structure engineering, the three most mainstream membrane materials are PTFE, PVC, and ETFE.

In simple terms:

* PTFE is the high‑performance "permanent building material"

* PVC is the cost‑effective "economic choice"

* ETFE is the ultra‑light "transparent soft glass"

• Feature	PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene)	PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)	ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene)
  Structure & Material	Coated fabric: glass fiber base fabric coated with PTFE	Coated fabric: polyester fiber base fabric coated with PVC	Homogeneous material: no base fabric, made directly from ETFE resin
  Light Transmission	Medium to high (10%–50%); diffused light, no glare	Low (10%–35%)	Very high (>95%) – "soft glass", adjustable
  Self Cleaning & Service Life	Best: >30 years; non stick surface, rain cleaned	Fair: 10–15 years; prone to aging and dirt accumulation	Excellent: 20–35 years; smooth surface resists dirt
  Mechanical & Installation	High strength but stiff, poor foldability, high fabrication precision required	Good flexibility, easy to fold and process, but lower strength and prone to creep	High tensile strength, elongation >400%, weight only 1% of glass
  Typical Applications	Large permanent buildings (stadiums, airports)	Temporary or semi permanent structures (canopies, exhibition halls, small architectural features)	Landmark / viewing buildings (Water Cube, botanical gardens, atriums)
  Approximate Price	60~120$/sqm	20~60$/sqm	100~200$/sqm

  
  

Detailed Differences

* PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) is a high‑performance, permanent membrane material. It uses high‑strength glass fiber as the base fabric, coated with stable PTFE resin. This gives it excellent tensile strength, aging resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance, with a normal service life of over 30 years. Its "non‑stick" property also provides superior self‑cleaning – rain easily washes away dirt. The downsides are higher material and installation costs, and the material is relatively stiff and not easily foldable.

* PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) is the economic, general‑purpose membrane. It uses polyester fiber as the base fabric, has the lowest cost, and is soft and easy to shape into complex forms. However, its main weakness is poor weather resistance and self‑cleaning – prolonged UV exposure leads to aging and dirt accumulation. To improve this, manufacturers often apply a top coating of PVDF or TiO₂. The enhanced product is commonly called PVDF membrane.

* ETFE (Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene) is a transparent, lightweight membrane. Its structure is completely different from the other two – it is a single‑layer thermoplastic film without any fabric reinforcement. Its most notable feature is extreme transparency, with light transmittance over 95%. It is also extremely lightweight, highly flexible, and often used in pneumatic cushion systems, as seen in landmark buildings like the Beijing Water Cube. The disadvantages are high cost and vulnerability to puncture, which can cause deflation in air‑supported systems.

If you have a specific project (e.g., a parking canopy, stadium, or landscape feature) and a budget range, please you could contact us for more details: canobbio@canobbio.com.cn.