Synthetic ice
Encyclopedia
Synthetic ice is a solid polymer material designed for skating using normal metal-bladed ice skates. Rinks are constructed by interlocking panels. Synthetic ice is sometimes called artificial ice but that term is ambiguous, as it is also used to mean the mechanically-frozen skating surface created by freezing water with refrigeration equipment.

History

The first known application of plastics as a substitute for ice for the purpose of ice skating
Ice skating
Ice skating is moving on ice by using ice skates. It can be done for a variety of reasons, including leisure, traveling, and various sports. Ice skating occurs both on specially prepared indoor and outdoor tracks, as well as on naturally occurring bodies of frozen water, such as lakes and...

 was in the 1960s using materials such as polyoxymethylene plastic which was developed by DuPont in the early 1950s. The polymers used at the time had some significant shortcomings. The most obvious being that skaters could not glide on these surfaces as they can on real ice without the regular application of a silicone
Silicone
Silicones are inert, synthetic compounds with a variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant and rubber-like, they are used in sealants, adhesives, lubricants, medical applications , cookware, and insulation....

 compound. The compound would build up on the surface, collecting dirt and grime.

In 1982, High Density Plastics launched the first full-size synthetic skating floor under the trade name of Hi-Den-Ice. The surface was made of interlocking panels of high density polyethylene which became an ice rink when sprayed with a gliding fluid. The surface needed to be cleaned off and resprayed once a month. In a dry form, the panels were also usable for other indoor sports.

Research and development in the field of synthetic ice has improved its skating characteristics. Special polymer materials have been specifically engineered for skating and unique lubricants designed to work with the polymer and be absorbed by it so that the surface is less sticky and does not attract contaminants while providing an ice-like glide. Smoothness between panels at seams has been improved by improvements in production and assembly methods. It is estimated that synthetic ice has 90% of the glide factor of natural ice.

Comparison with true ice

Skating on natural ice, the skate blade increases the temperature of the microscopic top layers of the ice reducing drag and causing the blade to glide on top of the ice. On synthetic ice rinks, liquid surface enhancements are common among synthetic ice products to further reduce drag on the skate blade over the artificial surface. Although some synthetic ice products allow skating without liquid, liquid is still used to optimize gliding.
  1. With most synthetic ice products, more effort is required to skate. Although this side effect can be positive for resistance training, skaters report to miss out on the fun of effortless skating.
  2. Synthetic ice surface wears out skates much faster. Most synthetic ice products still wear-down the skate blades very fast, with 30 min - 120 min the industry average.
  3. Many synthetic rinks produce a large amount of shavings and abrasions. Although this disadvantage is less on a practical level than on an aesthetic level, surfaces have to be cleaned more regularly and the attractiveness of the rink can be reduced significantly.
  4. Temporary markings for hockey or other sports wear off. Only permanently embedded markings do not scratch off.

Materials

A typical synthetic ice rink
Ice rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...

 will consist of many panels (usually in typical building material sheet sizes) of thin surface material assembled on top of a sturdy, level and smooth sub-floor (anything from concrete to wood or even dirt or grass) to create a large skating area.

Usage

Synthetic ice rinks are sometimes used where frozen ice surfaces are impractical due to temperatures making natural ice impossible. Synthetic ice rinks are also used as an alternative to artificial ice rinks due to the overall cost, not requiring any refrigeration equipment. For pleasure skating, rinks have been installed indoors at resorts and entertainment venues while newer installations are being made outdoors. For purposes of ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...

, synthetic ice rinks are typically smaller, at about 50 feet (15.2 m) by 50 feet (15.2 m), and are used for specialized training, such as shooting or goalie training.

Examples

  • The 'Polar Rink' at the American Museum of Natural History
    American Museum of Natural History
    The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...

     in New York City
    New York City
    New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

    .
  • The 'Winter Garden' arena in Ridgefield, Connecticut
    Ridgefield, Connecticut
    Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...

    . The arena has a conventional ice rink which is closed in the summer, while a 2600 ft2 synthetic ice rink is used year-round for youth hockey training and public skating.
  • The indoor skating rink in Marina Bay Sands in Singapore
    Singapore
    Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...

    . This 600-square metre indoor rink is created from very high Molecular Weight Polyethylene and is open to the public
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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