Flooring properties

Floor Brick. A brick having mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance to the conditions to which it is likely to be exposed when used in an industrial floor. Properties are specified in ASTM-C410 Industrial Floor Brick . 

Chem. Descrip. Silicone blend Uses Defoamer for solv.-type paints, urethane flooring Properties Colorless transparent liq. sp.gr. 0.79 pH 7.0 (3% aq.) 100% solids Adekanol 17R-2 [Adeka Fine Chem.]... 

Residential Construction. Owing to rising energy costs, the cost and low thermal conductivity are of prime importance in wall and ceiling insulation of residential buildings. The combination of insulation efficiency, desirable stmctural properties, ease of appHcation, abiHty to reduce air infiltration, and moisture resistance has led to use of extmded polymeric foam in residential constmction as sheathing, as perimeter and floor insulation under concrete, and as a combined plaster base and insulation for walls. 

Raw Materials. PVC is inherently a hard and brittle material and very sensitive to heat it thus must be modified with a variety of plasticizers, stabilizers, and other processing aids to form heat-stable flexible or semiflexible products or with lesser amounts of these processing aids for the manufacture of rigid products (see Vinyl polymers, vinyl chloride polymers). Plasticizer levels used to produce the desired softness and flexibihty in a finished product vary between 25 parts per hundred (pph) parts of PVC for flooring products to about 80—100 pph for apparel products (245). Numerous plasticizers (qv) are commercially available for PVC, although dioctyl phthalate (DOP) is by far the most widely used in industrial appHcations due to its excellent properties and low cost. For example, phosphates provide improved flame resistance, adipate esters enhance low temperature flexibihty, polymeric plasticizers such as glycol adipates and azelates improve the migration resistance, and phthalate esters provide compatibiUty and flexibihty (245). 

The amount of plasticizer added to the polymer in question varies, depending on the magnitude of the effect required. For example, a small addition of plasticizer may be made simply to improve the workabiUty of the polymer melt. This contrasts with larger additions made with the specific intention of completely transforming the properties of the product. For example, PVC without a plasticizer, ie, unplasticized PVC (PVC-U), is used in appHcations such as pipes and window profiles with plasticizer added, articles such as PVC food film, PVC cable insulation, and sheathing and PVC floorings are formed. 

Floor poHshes typically are evaluated for gloss, appHcation and leveling properties, discoloration, sHp resistance, scratch resistance, heel-mark resistance, scuff resistance, damp-mopping and detergent resistance, repairabiHty, lack of sediment, and removabiHty (3). RecoatabiHty and formula stabiHty are also important. A review of test methods is available (35). More than 20 ASTM test methods for floor poHshes exist. From the standpoint of product safety, sHp resistance is a particularly important variable and many test methods are available (39). 

For electrical insulation china clay is commonly employed whilst various calcium carbonates (whiting, ground limestone, precipitated calcium carbonate, and coated calcium carbonate) are used for general purpose work. Also occasionally employed are talc, light magnesium carbonate, barytes (barium sulphate) and the silicas and silicates. For flooring applications asbestos has been an important filler. The effect of fillers on some properties of plasticised PVC are shown in Figure 12.21 (a-d). 

The improved physical and mechanical properties of the wood-plastic composites lead to a diversity of applications, e.g., automotive parts, furniture, construction (e.g., building panel, flooring veneers), toys, cutlery handles, industrial pattern, sports equipment, musical... 

In one series of laboratory tests carried out to find the optimum wear resistance of heavy-duty epoxy resin flooring compositions, a number of different abrasion resistant materials were evaluated using BS 416, employing three different epoxy resin binders which themselves had significantly differing chemical compositions and mechanical properties. The results of this work, which was carried out under dry conditions, are given in Table 9.1. As can be seen from the table, the selection of the abrasion-resistant material and the resin matrix both influence the abrasion resistance of the system, although the abrasive material incorporated appears to play a more cmcial role. 

Polyurethane mortar flooring systems based on somewhat similar technology to this special polyester system have also been used in chemical plants and have given excellent service. The basic urethane polymer is more elastomeric than either epoxy or polyester resins and, as such, is reported to have excellent thermal properties up... 

In any industrial facility, from offices to factories and laboratories, spills happen and create a variety of risks to workers. Inside a plant, spills result in chemicals on the floor, in the air, or on the workers themselves. When releases occur outside the plant (e.g., chemical releases from tank cars or trucks, the spread of noxious fumes from an internal spill), the potential for harm extends far beyond the facility, particularly with major catastrophes such as the Bhopal chemical release, the Exxon Valdez oil spill. New York s Love Canal, and dioxin-contaminated Times Beach in Missouri, have led several federal departments and agencies to enact protective regulations. These protections are aimed at protecting a much broader range of people, property, and the environment than most regulations administered by OSHA. 

Polyurethane, thermoset TSUs have du-rometers range from soft cushion to glass hard with superior wear resistance. Use includes skateboard wheels, solid tires, floor coatings, marine finishes, etc. A major use for soft-foam is automotive bumpers another is upholstery. Property improvements are made with different added fibers and fillers in... 

The application of sulfosuccinates in the field of household products is limited. But when extremely-good wetting properties are desired the short C-chain dialkyl sulfosuccinates are used. Examples are special glass cleansers (beer glass cleaner, spectacle glass cleaner, windscreen cleaner), floor cleaner, and wallpaper stripper. The amount added to the formula is between 0.5% and 2.5%, although for wallpaper stripper up to 20% is used. A typical formulation for a glass cleaner is ... 

Agee, J.K. Prescribed fire effects on physical and hydrologfc properties of mixed conifer forest floor and soil Report 143 Univ. of CA, Water Resources Center Davis, CA, 1973. 

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