1. Introduction
Waterproof Breathable Membrane is a unique material that blocks liquid water while allowing water vapor and air to pass through.This dual function makes them indispensable in areas such as outdoor clothing, medical consumables, construction materials, automotive components and electronic devices. To ensure product quality, rigorous testing is required throughout the entire process from development to production.
2. Breathable membrane fundamentals
2.1 Waterproofing principles
Water resistance is achieved by
- Use of non-absorbent materials
- Fabrication of microporous structures smaller than the size of a water droplet
The effectiveness of waterproofing is usually expressed in terms of hydrostatic pressure, which is the maximum water pressure that the material can withstand before leakage.
2.2 Venting Principle
Breathability is achieved by:
- Creating micropores that are larger than water vapor molecules but smaller than water droplets
- Use of special materials that absorb and release water molecules
The main indicators include moisture vapor transmission rate and air permeability.
2.3 Key performance indicators
| norm | clarification | unit (of measure) | significance |
| waterproof rating | Maximum water pressure the material can withstand | mmH₂O or psi | The higher the value, the better the waterproofness |
| permeability rating | Amount of water vapor passing per unit area per unit time | g/m²/24h | The higher the value, the better the breathability |
| Air permeability | Rate of air passage through the membrane | cm³/s/cm² or L/m²/s | Reflects air circulation capacity |
| water repellency | Surface resistance to wetting | rank, class, category | Reflects surface finish |
3. Areas of application and testing requirements
3.1 Outdoor clothing and equipment
- demand (economics): High level of waterproofness balanced with breathability
- Test Focus: Simulates real-world usage conditions, including rain, wind, and motion pressure
- (an official) standard: Durability and comfort need to be considered
3.2 Medical supplies
- appliance: Medical dressings, surgical gowns and protective clothing
- Test Focus: ability to block liquids, bacteria and viruses with breathability
- special requirement: Sterility and biocompatibility
3.3 Construction materials
- appliance: Polymer waterproofing membrane, waterproofing roll-roofing, waterproofing coatings, etc.
- Test Focus: Long-term durability and resistance to environmental factors
- Key indicators: Water pressure resistance and air permeability
3.4 Automobile accessories
- appliance: Automotive sensors, radar, chargers, motors, inverters, battery packs, lights, etc.
- Test Focus: Resistance to automotive fluids and environmental adaptability
- special requirement: Reliability under extreme conditions
3.5 Other industrial and consumer applications
In addition to areas such as those mentioned above, waterproof breathable membranes are used in a variety of other industrial and consumer products.This includes filtration systems, protective packaging, and protection of sensitive electronic equipment from moisture and dust.
The specific testing requirements for these applications depend heavily on the intended use of the membrane. The emphasis is on balancing the necessary barrier properties with the desired level of air permeability or air flow.
For example, in electronic devices, theBreathable membranes (also called waterproof acoustically permeable membranes) must prevent water and dust from entering while allowing for pressure equalization and sound transmission.
The versatility of waterproof and breathable membranes leads to a wide range of testing needs.Precision Engineering can customize test solutions to meet customer-specific application requirements.
4. Testing rationale and methodology
4.1 Moisture Transmission Rate Test
principle: Measurement of the rate at which water vapor passes through a material under controlled conditions
methodologies::
- cupcake method: Samples are sealed on a container with a desiccant or water and determined by weight change.
- sweating hot plate method: Simulation of human skin, breathability resistance measured by energy consumption
(an official) standardASTM E96、ISO 2528、ISO 11092、GB/T 16928 etc.
4.2 Air permeability test
principle: Measurement of the rate at which air passes through a material at a given pressure difference
methodologies: The sample is fixed in the tester and the air flow rate and differential pressure are measured.
(an official) standard: EN ISO 9237, ASTM D737, GB/T 5453, etc.
4.3 Water resistance test
4.3.1 Hydrostatic pressure test
principle: Apply increasing water pressure until penetration
methodologies: Fix the sample in the tester, apply water pressure and observe the penetration point.
(an official) standardGB/T 4744, ISO 811, AATCC 127, etc.
4.3.2 Water repellency test
principle: Assessment of surface resistance to wetting
methodologies: Spray test, impact penetration test, etc.
(an official) standardAATCC 22、ISO 4920、GB/T 4745 etc.
5. Production-wide testing applications
5.1 Production phase
- Online monitoring of thickness and uniformity
- Batch sample quality control
- Timely correction of deviations
5.2 Research and development phase
- Systematic evaluation of new material properties
- Optimization of production parameters
- Comparative Performance Analysis
5.3 Quality control
- Finished Product Compliance Verification
- Joint and structural integrity testing
- Ensure compliance with industry standards
6. T-Chen Engineering Gas Permeable Film Testing Solution
6.1 Technical characteristics
- A new test platform that simultaneously evaluates waterproofness and breathability, instead of a traditional solution.
- Test the waterproof performance of the membrane by simulating water penetration and observe whether there is water penetration or water droplet formation.
- Testing the breathability of the membrane to ensure that water vapor and air can escape smoothly
- Support a variety of international test standards, parameter customization settings
Video Case: Jingcheng Industrial TechnologyWaterproof Breathable Membrane Comprehensive Tester
Precision Industrial Technology's self-developedJC-WG200rangeWaterproof Breathable Membrane Comprehensive TesterProvides a comprehensive solution for evaluating waterproofness and breathability at the same time, dramatically improving testing efficiency.
6.2 Main advantages
6.2.1 Testing efficiency gains
- Synchronized testing reduces testing time over 50%
- Accelerated R&D and quality control processes
- Improved sample handling
6.2.2 Space optimization
- Reduces 40% footprint by integrating both breathable and waterproof testing features
- Optimization of laboratory space utilization
- Simplified operational processes
6.2.3 Cost reduction
- Reduced investment in equipment (single unit replaces two)
- Reduced maintenance costs approx. 30%
- Conservation of energy and human resources
6.2.4 Data management optimization
- Harmonization of data collection and processing
- Integrated Report Generation
- Reduce the risk of data analysis errors
6.3 Market Comparisons
Compared to similar test equipment, theJC-WG200The series has competitive advantages in the following areas:
- Unique synchronized testing capabilities
- Broader test standard support
- More efficient data management systems
- More optimized space and cost efficiency
Summarize
High-quality testing of waterproof and breathable membranes is critical to ensure product performance and reliability.JC-WG200rangeComprehensive Tester for Breathable FilmThrough innovative synchronized testing technology and comprehensive performance advantages, it provides an efficient and accurate solution for waterproof and breathable membrane testing.
As waterproof and breathable membrane technology continues to evolve, integrated testing solutions will play an increasingly important role in meeting the industry's need for more efficient and comprehensive materials evaluation.Shenzhen Jingchenggongke Technology Co., Ltd.We will continue to promote testing technology innovation and provide more advanced testing solutions for the waterproof and breathable membrane industry.
If you have any waterproof breathable membrane (sound permeable membrane) testing needs, welcome to visit Jingcheng Engineering Technology airtightness website or feel free to contact us, we will be happy to serve you!
Original Statement: this paper was written byShenzhen Jingchenggongke Technology Co., Ltd.Written by the technical team, reproduced with attribution.Data sources:Precision Engineering internal test data and customer cases.
