UV Reflective Media
UV Surface Disinfection
Highly reflective media designed for UVC surface disinfection products
Ensure uniform surface disinfection with Porex Virtek reflective media lining your UV surface disinfection products
Properly disinfected surfaces are critical to slowing the spread of illness and infection. Chemical disinfectants can be damaging to equipment, toxic to people, and ineffective if not used properly. Utilizing UVC light to disinfect surfaces has increased in popularity and is proving to be extremely effective. However, the most important aspect of surface disinfection is the proper distribution of UV energy. Porex Virtek’s highly reflective PTFE is highly Lambertian – meaning it spreads reflected light very uniformly across the surface. Whether you are designing a room disinfection system or a fully enclosed system, Porex Virtek PTFE is the UV-reflective material of choice.
Porex Virtek offers:
- Reflectivity rates of up to 97%
- Almost 100% Lambertian (diffuse) reflectivity to ensure extremely uniform UVC energy distribution within the reaction chamber
- Minimized hot and cold spots within the reaction chamber
- Up to 4x higher flux in a closed system versus aluminum
- Increased effective pathogen deactivation rates, by up to 4X versus other reflective media
- High reflectivity and durability down to 200 nm UVC wavelength
Optimize efficiency and ensure maximum pathogen disinfection within your UV surface disinfection system
UV disinfection chambers lined with Porex Virtek PTFE high-reflectivity media feature the Intensified with Porex Virtek logo, highlighting the efficacy of high reflectivity. Review our technical specifications and supporting technical information to understand how Porex Virtek intensifies water disinfection.
Technical Specifications
POREX Virtek PTFE Highly Reflective Media is available in a variety of formats and thicknesses to meet your custom requirements. Formats available include:
- Rollstock
- Slit rolls
- Die-cut shapes
- Discs
- Thermoformed shapes
- Rolled tubes
- Adhesive backed
POREX Virtek® PTFE Highly Reflective Materials
| Product Number | Thickness (mm) |
Max Operating Temp °C | UL-94 Certification |
UL-746C Certification | NSF 61 & NSF 372 | Average Reflectivity* (250-400nm) |
Average Reflectivity* (400-800nm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMR05 | 0.5 | 260 | 5VB-V-0 | f1 | Pass | 93% | 90% |
| PMR10 | 0.75 | 260 | 5VA, V-0 | f1 | Pass | 96% | 94% |
| PMR11 | 1 | 260 | 5VA, V-0 | f1 | Pass | 96% | 94% |
| PMR15 | 1.5 | 260 | 5VA, V-0 | f1 | Pass | 98% | 98% |
| PMR20 | 2 | 260 | 5VA, V-0 | f1 | Pass | 98% | 98% |
Properties are typical and not meant for specifications. Selected options and adhesives may affect properties
Thinner versions (0.19mm; 0.25mm) available on request
RoHS, WEEE, REACH Compliant (PFOA Free)
% Reflectivity versus wavelength of common materials
While the reflective performance of many materials decreases in the important UVC germicidal range, Porex Virtek PTFE has consistently excellent results versus competitive technologies, such as stainless steel and aluminum.
Typical Reflectivity of Porex Virtek PTFE Sheet vs. Aluminum and Stainless Steel
Number of reflections and estimated remaining energy for various levels of reflectivity
This chart illustrates how rapidly energy decays in a closed reaction chamber when reflectivity drops below 80%. The X-axis shows how many reflections you can expect until the initial energy drops to 40% (over 45 reflections for 98% reflectivity versus less than 3 for 70%).
# Reflections vs. % Energy Remaining
Total average irradiance in an ideal closed reflective lined chamber
This chart illustrates Sumpner’s Principle of Irradiance in a closed system. This principle estimates total irradiance that comes from the source plus irradiance that is reflected to get to an average steady state irradiance. The equation shows the exponential improvement that occurs when reflectivity is over 90%, which can result in an average irradiance improvement of 10 times (as reflectivity increases from 70% to 97%)!
Total Irradiance in a Closed System
ETotal = ED + ER
Data above based on Sumpner’s principle of irradiance in a closed system, ETotal = ED + ER, where ED is the source irradiance and ER is the reflective irradiance. ER is highly dependent on the reflectivity of the chamber and is calculated by ER = ED x (R/(1-R)) where R is the percent reflectivity as a fraction (ie. 50% = 0.5).
Applications
Enclosed Disinfection Systems
In enclosed systems, reducing shadowing and ensuring uniform energy distribution is critical. Porex Virtek not only can reflect up to 98% of UV energy (allowing it to bounce around until it is absorbed) but it reflects it in a random pattern, meaning the entire chamber receives uniform dosage regardless of shape or UV source location. Aluminum and other metallic surfaces can have much lower initial reflectivity and can reflect in a specular pattern, creating hot and cold spots.
UVC Lighting Systems
When designing a UVC lighting system, you want uniform light distribution with minimal hot and cold spots. The highly diffuse Porex Virtek PTFE will efficiently spread UV energy in all directions, ensuring all surfaces receive uniform energy.
Robotic & Mobile Disinfection Systems
In a mobile UVC disinfection system, uniform light distribution with minimal hot and cold spots is critical. This is especially true when using UV LEDs, which can be more potent sources of light. The highly diffuse Porex Virtek PTFE will efficiently spread UV energy in all directions, ensuring all targeted surfaces receive uniform energy. Other materials that are specular reflectors can create regions of high and low exposure, which can be problematic.
Handheld Disinfection Systems
In a mobile UVC disinfection system, uniform light distribution with minimal hot and cold spots is critical. This is especially true when using UV LEDs, which can be more potent sources of light. The highly diffuse Porex Virtek PTFE will efficiently spread UV energy in all directions, ensuring all targeted surfaces receive uniform energy. Other materials that are specular reflectors can create regions of high and low exposure, which can be problematic.
Browse our Air Care Studies
Related Resources
Porex Virtek® PTFE Highly Reflective UV Materials Brochure
Discover the benefits of Porex Virtek® PTFE UV reflective materials that enhance the efficiency of your UV disinfection system.
UV Reflective Media Video Series: Comparing Specular and Diffuse Reflectivity
A demonstration video exploring the distinction between specular and diffuse reflectivity and its implications in UV disinfection.
UV Reflective Media Video Series: Porex High-Efficiency Diffuse Reflectors
Watch our practical demonstration video showcasing the efficiency of Porex Virtek PTFE reflective media. We compare the light output between a stock reflector and a Porex reflector.
UV Reflectivity Media Video Series: UVC Air Disinfection Chamber Demonstration – Porex® Virtek PTFE vs Aluminum & Plastic
A demonstration video that compares the effectiveness of Porex® Virtek PTFE to aluminum and plastic in UVC Air Disinfection Chambers.
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