Plastic material type

An extensive new Section 10 is devoted to polymers, rubbers, fats, oils, and waxes. A discussion of polymers and rubbers is followed by the formulas and key properties of plastic materials. Eor each member and type of the plastic families there is a tabulation of their physical, electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties and characteristics. A similar treatment is accorded the various types of rubber materials. Chemical resistance and gas permeability constants are also given for rubbers and plastics. The section concludes with various constants of fats, oils, and waxes. 

Costs of ceUular plastic insulations are stiU higher than those of fibrous and other mass insulation types, but these can often be justified based on overall advantages of combined stmctural, thermal, and permeance properties. It is difficult to provide a single cost for each material type since there are many different forms of a material-based product avaUable and differing forms of manufacture and appHcation, often in combination with other materials. In the United States, EPS board costs on the order of 0.12 to 0.18 XEPS, 0.25 to 0.30 and PU, 0.30 to 0.35, per board foot ( 0.30/board ft fx 127/m ). 

Vinyl chloride polymers are produced in two main types, homopolymers and copolymers, usually with vinyl acetate. Both types can be plasticized by a wide variety of plasticizers (qv), usually esters. Rigid or unplasticized PVC is used extensively for pipe. The plasticized material is used largely in floor coverings. The homopolymer itself is inherently fire-resistant, but addition of plasticizers, unless they are especially fire-resistant, considerably reduces this characteristic (see Elame retardants). 

For the larger sizes in high-pressure service, the fixed-ball type with O-ring seat seals requires less operating effort. However, these require two different plastic materi s with resistance to the fluid and its temperature. Like plug cocks, ball valves may be either restricted-port or full-port, but the ports are always round and pressure drop is low. 

The term lubricant or lubricating agent is often encountered to describe certain additives incorporated into plastics materials. There are, however, various types... 

The properties of most plastics materials change with the passage of time and usually in an adverse manner. These property changes are a result of structural modifications of which there are four main types ... 

Since the mid-1950s several materials have been found effective in combating ozone-initiated degradation, in particular certain p-phenylenediamine derivatives. The actual choice of such antiozonants depends on the type of polymer and on whether or not the polymer is to be subject to dynamic stressing in service. Since antiozonants are not known to have any use in plastics materials, even those which may have certain rubber particles for toughening, they will not be dealt with further here. Anyone interested further should consult references 3-5. 

By the mid-1990s capacity for polyethylene production was about 50 000 000 t.p.a, much greater than for any other type of plastics material. Of this capacity about 40% was for HDPE, 36% for LDPE and about 24% for LLDPE. Since then considerable extra capacity has been or is in the course of being built but at the time of writing financial and economic problems around the world make an accurate assessment of effective capacity both difficult and academic. It is, however, appeirent that the capacity data above is not reflected in consumption of the three main types of material where usage of LLDPE is now of the same order as the other two materials. Some 75% of the HDPE and LLDPE produced is used for film applications and about 60% of HDPE for injection and blow moulding. 

In the mid-1970s many major plastics materials producers marketed or were actively developing materials of this type. They included American Cyanamid, Borg-Warner, Dow, Du Pont, ICI, Marbon, Monsanto, Solvay, Union Carbide and Vistron (Sohio). 

Blends of ABS with polycarbonates have been available for several years (e.g. Bayblend by Bayer and Cycoloy by Borg-Wamer). In many respects these polymers have properties intermediate to the parent plastics materials with heat distortion temperatures up to 130°C. They also show good impact strength, particularly at low temperatures. Self-extinguishing and flame retarding grades have been made available. The materials thus provide possible alternatives to modified poly(phenylene oxides) of the Noryl type described in Chapter 21. (See also sections 16.16 and 20.8.)... 

The materials of construction, from the cupboard to the fan, should be inorganic and resistant to attack by perchloric acid. For the cupboard itself suitable materials include stainless steel of types, 316 or 317, solid epoxy resin, and rigid PVC. Stainless steel has been popular for this application as it is easy to form, weld, and polish. It is, however, attacked by the acid, which causes discoloration of the metal surface and the formation of iron(III) perchlorate, which can be explosive. Ductwork, separate from other extract systems, is usually made from stainless steel or plastic materials. Fire regulations may preclude the use of plastic ductwork or require it to be sheathed in an outer casing of metal or GRP. The fan casing and impeller can both be made of plastic. 

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