When temperatures soar above 35°C, users often worry that non-infill artificial grass—being made of plastic polymers—will absorb excessive heat, resulting in uncomfortably hot surfaces or even safety risks. While non-infill turf does absorb solar radiation due to its material composition, advances in polymer science, structural design, and field maintenance can significantly control surface temperature increases. In fact, some optimized systems now perform close to natural grass in thermal behavior. This article explores the heat absorption mechanism, temperature comparisons, and effective cooling measures, while highlighting VivaTurf’s high-temperature adaptive non-infill grass technology.
1. Core Principle: Why Does Non-Infill Artificial Grass Absorb Heat? The Key Difference from Natural Grass
The heat absorption of non-infill artificial grass comes from its polymer-based composition and lack of biological cooling mechanisms, unlike natural grass that can self-regulate temperature.
(1) Material Properties: Thermal Absorption and Conductivity of Polymers
Non-infill turf fibers are mainly made from polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP)—materials known for their high heat absorption and faster thermal conductivity:
Solar absorption: Infrared rays account for 50–60% of solar radiation and are easily absorbed by polymers, causing the turf surface temperature to rise. Standard PE fibers have a solar absorption rate of 0.7–0.8, compared to 0.5–0.6 for natural grass, which benefits from chlorophyll and water-based cooling through evaporation.
Thermal conductivity: Polymer fibers have a thermal conductivity of 0.3–0.5 W/(m·K), higher than natural grass (≈0.2 W/(m·K)), enabling faster heat transfer to the surface and a quicker rise in temperature.
(2) Structural Difference: Absence of Biological Evaporative Cooling
Natural grass cools through leaf transpiration and soil moisture evaporation, where every gram of evaporated water absorbs about 2.4 kJ of heat. Non-infill grass lacks this mechanism. Additionally, its underlying shock pads—often made from closed-cell foam or XPE—act as insulators, trapping heat between the turf and base layer. This explains why non-infill surfaces can feel hotter than natural grass fields.
2. Temperature Performance: Comparing Non-Infill Turf, Natural Grass, and Infilled Turf
Field tests under real-world summer conditions (35°C, solar intensity 800–1000 W/m²) reveal clear thermal differences between surface types:
(1) Standard Non-Infill Turf: Hotter Than Natural Grass but Cooler Than Infilled Turf
Unoptimized non-infill turf with standard PE fibers can reach surface temperatures of 50–55°C, around 18–20°C higher than natural grass (32–35°C) but 5–10°C cooler than concrete (55–60°C). While barefoot use may cause discomfort, it still performs better than infilled turf, where rubber granules can drive surface temperatures to 60–65°C due to high heat retention.
(2) Optimized Non-Infill Turf: Temperature Gap Within 10°C of Natural Grass
VivaTurf’s high-temperature adaptive non-infill grass demonstrates how engineering can close the thermal gap:
Measured performance: 42–45°C surface temperature, 8–10°C lower than standard turf and only 7–13°C above natural grass. With permeable shock pads and drainage bases, temperatures can drop further to 40–42°C—or even below 38°C in shaded zones.
Key innovations: UV-reflective and heat-dissipating additives such as titanium dioxide and nano-ceramic particles reduce solar absorption to 0.55–0.65. Hollow or grooved fiber cross-sections increase surface area for heat dissipation. Permeable polypropylene-bead pads enhance air and water flow, accelerating cooling.
3. Practical Cooling Strategies: From Design to Maintenance
Reducing surface heat involves a multi-stage approach focused on lower absorption, faster dissipation, and active cooling:
(1) During Selection: Choose Heat-Optimized Turf Systems
Fiber composition: Prefer modified PE with UV-resistant additives, like VivaTurf’s “PE + TiO₂ + nano-ceramic” composite. Titanium dioxide reflects 20–30% of UV radiation, while ceramic particles convert absorbed infrared energy into long-wave radiation, reducing surface temperature by 5–8°C.
Fiber structure: Opt for hollow or grooved fiber profiles that increase radiative surface area by 30–40%.
Shock pad and base design: Use permeable polypropylene bead pads (≥30% porosity) to prevent heat accumulation and combine with a water-permeable base (crushed stone + geotextile) that facilitates evaporative cooling.
(2) During Use: Apply Active Cooling and Proper Scheduling
Water cooling: Spray 0.5–1 L/m² of water during midday hours (12:00–15:00). Evaporation can lower surface temperatures by 8–12°C for 2–3 hours.
Shade coverage: For extreme conditions (40°C+), temporary shade nets with 70% coverage can reduce surface heat by 10–15°C.
Usage timing: Schedule activities for early morning (8:00–11:00) or evening (17:00–19:00), when surface temperatures are typically 10–15°C cooler than midday.
(3) Field Design: Reduce Heat from the Planning Stage
Color selection: Light green or lime tones reflect 30–40% of solar radiation (vs. 10–20% for dark green), lowering temperature by 5–7°C.
Surrounding vegetation: Trees and shrubs can shade fields and enhance microclimate cooling by 5–8°C.
Drainage slope: A 1–2% field slope supports water drainage and prevents localized heat buildup.
4. VivaTurf’s High-Temperature Adaptive Non-Infill Turf: Balancing Comfort and Safety
To meet the needs of tropical and high-temperature regions, VivaTurf developed a “High-Temperature Adaptive Non-Infill Series” featuring innovations in material science, structural engineering, and surface technology:
(1) Material Upgrade: UV-Reflective, Heat-Dissipating Fibers
VivaTurf’s triple-layer fibers feature:
Outer layer: Titanium dioxide and nano-ceramic coating for UV reflection and radiative cooling.
Middle layer: High-crystallinity PE for superior durability.
Inner layer: Hollow core for heat dissipation.
In 35°C, 900 W/m² solar conditions, this design achieved 7–9°C lower surface temperatures than standard PE turf, performing at 42–44°C—close to natural grass.
(2) Structural Optimization: Permeable Cooling System
The system includes a polypropylene-bead shock pad (35% porosity) and a multi-layer permeable base (gravel + geotextile + porous concrete) with a drainage rate exceeding 1.5×10⁻³ m/s, ensuring rapid heat and water release.
(3) Real-World Validation: Proven in High-Temperature Environments
Guangzhou Community Football Field (38°C average): Surface temperature capped at 43°C, dropping to 36°C after watering. Residents reported comfortable barefoot use and extended playtime by 3 hours.
Hainan Kindergarten (39°C average): With shade and daily misting, surface temperature stabilized between 35–38°C, passing local safety inspections with no heat-related incidents.
Conclusion: Non-Infill Turf Does Absorb Heat—But It Can Be Controlled
Non-infill artificial turf, by nature of its polymer composition, absorbs solar heat under high temperatures. However, this does not make it unsuitable for use. Through advanced material engineering (like VivaTurf’s adaptive series), active cooling, and smart field design, surface temperatures can be kept below 45°C, approaching the comfort level of natural grass. For hot regions, non-infill turf remains a safe, low-maintenance, and environmentally friendly alternative—superior to infilled turf, which not only heats up more but also releases volatile compounds from rubber infill.