The birth of artificial turf
Artificial turf was born more than 50 years ago, and has been widely used for its superior performance compared to natural turf. One day in April 1966, the Houston Dome Stadium, known as the "eighth wonder of the world," quietly awaited the start of the baseball league. However, what may not even be known to the audience who are waiting in line is that on that day they witnessed a historic moment: before the game, the baseball stadium laid the world's first artificial turf, Astro Turf.
The reason why artificial turf is also called Astro turf is because the earliest invention of artificial turf was the American Astro company. Artificial turf does not need watering and fertilization, has low maintenance costs, is less affected by climate and weather, is long-lasting and maintains a good visual appearance, and it has quickly swept the world.
However, the texture of the artificial turf could not reach the flexibility and elasticity of the natural turf in those years. The huge friction force caused frequent injuries to athletes, and even caused a special disease-Astro toes. As a result, the artificial turf, which had just risen not long before, was beaten into the cold palace. In 1988, the British Football Association banned the use of artificial turf in official competitions, and since then FIFA has also banned the use of artificial turf.
Later, with the application of new materials such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) and new processes, the performance of artificial grass has been greatly improved. In 2003, plastic surgeon Bill Bashir stated in a research report that artificial turf is safer than natural turf in the long run because natural turf grows inconsistently, and constant wear and tear will slow down the softness. Lowered, thus increasing the possibility of injury to the ankle or other parts.
With the improvement of performance and the increase of people's awareness, artificial turf has become popular again. Especially from July 1, 2003, artificial turf qualified by FIFA is allowed to play official football matches, and artificial turf is increasingly used in various events. For example, in the 2018 World Cup in Russia, artificial turf was widely used.
PE and PP are the main raw materials
