many people lay irrigation pipes outdoors, build temporary water supply systems, or use PE pipes in the open air, they will invariably ask the same question: Is PE pipe resistant to the sun? After all, long-term exposure to the sun, will the pipe become brittle, cracked, or even shorten the service life? Today we will talk about this problem.

First of all, it must be clear: the main raw material of PE pipe is polyethylene (PE), which is a common plastic material. It has good chemical resistance and flexibility, but the polyethylene molecular chain is more sensitive to ultraviolet rays. The ultraviolet rays in the sun (especially the UV-B band) will penetrate the surface of the PE pipe and destroy the structure of the molecular chain - in short, "break" the originally tight molecular bonds, causing the pipe to gradually lose elasticity, become brittle and hard, and may crack, leak, or even break over time.

Is that all PE pipes "afraid of the sun"? In fact, the sun resistance of PE pipes mainly depends on two key factors:

The first is the anti-ultraviolet (UV) additives in the raw materials. Many manufacturers will add additives such as carbon black, ultraviolet stabilizers or light shielding agents when producing PE pipes - for example, carbon black can absorb ultraviolet rays and reduce its damage to molecular chains; ultraviolet stabilizers can "neutralize" free radicals brought by ultraviolet rays and delay aging. PE pipes with these additives will greatly improve their sun resistance, and can even be used in outdoor exposure environments for more than 5-10 years.

The second is the wall thickness of the pipe and the use environment. The thicker the wall thickness of the PE pipe, the longer the distance that the ultraviolet rays need to penetrate, the slower the damage to the internal molecular chain; and if the ultraviolet intensity in the use environment is high (such as the southern summer) and the temperature is high (such as the roof terrace), the aging speed of the PE pipe will also be accelerated.

So if you have to use the PE pipe outdoors, how to "sun protection"? Give you a few practical suggestions:

1. Preference Buried installation: This is the most effective way of sun protection - burying the PE pipe 30-50 cm deep in the ground can not only avoid direct ultraviolet rays, but also reduce the impact of temperature changes on the pipe.

2. Outdoor exposure part plus protection: If you have to be exposed to the sun (such as short pipes connected to outdoor equipment), you can wrap it with a sunshade, thermal insulation cotton or UV protection tape, or build a simple shade above the pipe to reduce direct sunlight time.

3. Choose the right PE pipe products: When purchasing, ask the manufacturer if they have added anti-UV additives (such as "anti-UV PE pipe" and "outdoor special PE pipe"), and try to choose a model with thicker wall thickness (such as PN1.0 and above pressure grade pipes, the wall thickness is usually thicker).

4. Regular inspection and maintenance: Every six months or one year, check the surface of the outdoor PE pipe for cracks, discoloration, and signs of brittleness. If any problems are found, replace the local pipe in time to avoid water leakage.

to conclude: PE pipe is not "completely unresistant to sunlight", but it cannot be "left alone". As long as you choose the right product with anti-UV additives and take sun protection measures (such as burying and adding protection), PE pipe can be used safely in outdoor environments. After all, the flexibility and corrosion resistance of PE pipe are still its advantages in outdoor applications - as long as we "help it block" excessive ultraviolet rays, it can accompany us for a longer time.