Plastics use in construction

Use Carpets, rugs, upholstery, plastics used in construction and miscellaneous wearing apparel. 

PVC is one of the world s oldest plastics, and it is the most dominant in building and construction. PVC is a tough, strong thermoplastic material which has an excellent combination of physical and electrical properties. PVC is a major plastic material which is commonly used in building (55% of plastics used in construction are PVC), mainly because of its excellent fire performance [49]. PVC is replacing traditional building materials like wood, concrete and even clay. PVC and its copolymers are one of the most versatile and widely used resins in building product applications. The uses of PVC are... 

PVC dominates much of the plumbing and construction market for plastics. Approximately 67% of all pipe, fittings, and conduit, along with 42% of all plastics used in construction at the present time, are fabricated from PVC. We will describe the synthesis of this polymer and its properties in Chapter 29. Our purpose here is to describe the synthesis of vinyl chloride. 

Plastics used in construction have gained popularity as alternative materials to wood and metals in China. The booming construction market increases the demand for construction-related plastic products. The consumption of plastics in the construction industry reached 2.9 million tonnes in 1998. The construction demand for plastics will increase by about 10.4% annually to 7.7 million tonnes by 2008. In... 

Fluorinated polymers stand out sharply against other construction materials for their excellent corrosion resistance and high-temperature stability. In this respect they are not only superior to other plastics but also to platinum, gold, glass, enamel and special alloys. The fluorinated plastics used in process plants are polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), fluorinated ethylene/ propylene (FEP), polytrifiuoromonochlorethylene (PTFCE) and polyvinyl fluoride (PVF). They are much more expensive than other polymers and so are only economical in special situations [59]. 

Applications Rapid industrial polymer identification systems have been developed to sort plastic components in cars, plastics used in the building and construction industry and plastic films. In recycling of plastics... 

Polymer-based pH sensors are not suitable for continuous in-vivo measurements due to the poor biocompatibility of plasticizers used in the polymer membrane. To minimize such a problem, surface treatment or using a reduced amount of plasticizers has been proposed [71]. In order to improve stability and adhesion, polyurethane has been used as an alternative to PVC membranes in the construction of pH sensing membranes [72, 73],... 

Applications. Phthalic anhydride is used largely to make plasticizer for polyvinyl chloride. It is also a feed for alkyd resins and. for unsaturated polyesters that are widely used in construction, rharine, and synthetic marble applications. Other minor applications are dyes, esters, drying oil modifiers and pharmaceutical intermediates. 

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a tough plastic often used in construction and plumbing. It is also used in some food, shampoo, oil, and household product containers. 

Vehicle LPG storage tanks are cylindrical with rounded ends and are capable of holding fuel at pressures of 240 to 250 psig. The tanks are much stronger than those used to hold conventional liquid fuels, but less sophisticated than CNG storage tanks. Carbon steel or aluminum can be used for tank construction. Because propane can dissolve plasticizers used in elastomer production, only propane-resistant elastomers such as neoprene, nitrile, or Teflon should be used. Except for the need for a gas-tight connection, LPG can be dispensed in the same manner as gasoline or diesel fuel. To ensure that adequate vapor space is available for gas expansion, automatic limiters are incorporated to maintain an 80% maximum fill rate. 

Foams. Sulfur can be foamed into a lightweight insulation that compares favorably with many oiganic foams and other insulating materials used in construction. It has been evaluated as thermal insulation for highways and other applications to prevent frost damage (63) (see Foamed PLASTICS Insulation, thermal). 

The plastics used to construct beverage containers are most often targeted for recycling, but the process gets complicated quickly. There are many different types of plastics, each containing chains of different molecules in different orders. Each type of plastic is designated with a number in a triangle, usually on the bottom of the container. 

A wide range of plastics with different properties has been used in the construction of laboratory apparatus. In spite of the adsorption ability of the polymers and, therefore, the risk of analyte loss by adsorption on container walls, contamination arising from residual catalysts and additives used in their manufacture is the main problem. Among the most common plastics used in manufacturing laboratory containers are low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polytetrafluoro-ethylene (PTFE). 

Phenolic resins. Resins such as those made from phenol and formaldehyde now account for about one third of the phenol consumed in the United States. They are widely used in construction related use such as plywood adhesives, foundry resins, thermoformed plastics, and surface coatings. 

Although glass containers are very suitable for Hb packaging, flexible plastic containers constructed from materials such as poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate) (EVA) are most widely used. The plastic packaging material must be carefully selected. Hemoglobin, like other proteins, is lipophilic and can facilitate extraction of low molecular weight lipophilic substances, such as the plasticizers used in poly(vinyl chloride) containers. 

Engineering plastics are those to which standard metal engineering equations can be applied they are capable of sustaining high loads and stresses and are machinable and dimensionally stable. They are used in construction, as machine parts, automobile components, etc. Among the more important are nylon, acetals, polycarbonates, ABS resins, PPO/styrene, and polybutylene terephthalate. 

Barrier Material - Materials such as plastic films, sheeting, wood laminates, particle board, paper, fabrics, etc., with low permeability to gases and vapors. Used in construction as water vapor insulation, food packaging, protective clothing, etc. 

Mild steel may be suitable as a material of construction for handling caustic soda at ambient temperature. At elevated temperatures, >60°C (140°F), corrosion may occur. Nickel and/or its alloys are most suitable for caustic handling at all temperatures and concentrations, including anhydrous molten caustic up to 480°C (896°F) (Leddy et al. 1978). Polypropylene, fluorocarbon plastics, and flberglass/vinyl ester resins are being used for many applications. Aluminum, tin, zinc, and other amphoteric metals should not be used in construction materials. 

Ductility is the plastic response to tensile force. Plastic response, or plasticity, is particularly important when a material is to be formed by causing the material to flow during the manufacture of a component. It also becomes important in components that are subject to tension and compression, at every temperature between the lowest service temperature and the highest service temperature. Ductility is essential for steels used in construction of reactor pressure vessels. Ductility is required because the vessel is subjected to pressure and temperature stresses that must be carefully controlled to preclude brittle fracture. Brittle fracture is discussed in more detail in Module 4, Brittle Fracture. 

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