Polymer construction materials

Key words fibre-reinforced polymer composites, polyester, theimoset polymers, composites, reinforced polymers, construction materials, mechanical properties. 

The importance of polymer composites arises largely from the fact that such low density materials can have unusually high elastic modulus and tensile strength. Polymers have extensive applications in various fields of industry and agriculture. They are used as constructional materials or protective coatings. Exploitation of polymers is of special importance for products that may be exposed to the radiation or temperature, since the use of polymers make it possible to decrease the consumption of expensive (and, sometimes, deficient) metals and alloys, and to extent the lifetime of the whole product. 

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]. 

Improvements in process and quality control made significant contributions to the transition from iron to steel as the major ferrous construction material over a century and a half ago. For most of that time red lead was relied upon, and not without a remarkable degree of success, as the rust-inhibitive pigment in anti-corrosive paints. In the last twenty years, however, there has been a similar dramatic change from such simple paints as red lead to synthetic polymer coatings which have as complex a technology as steel manufacture itself. 

Both share more or less the same merits but also the same disadvantages. The beneficial properties are high OCV (2.12 and 1.85 V respectively) flexibility in design (because the active chemicals are mainly stored in tanks outside the (usually bipolar) cell stack) no problems with zinc deposition in the charging cycle because it works under nearly ideal conditions (perfect mass transport by electrolyte convection, carbon substrates [52]) self-discharge by chemical attack of the acid on the deposited zinc may be ignored because the stack runs dry in the standby mode and use of relatively cheap construction materials (polymers) and reactants. 

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is an extremely poisonous gas with an odor resembling that of almonds. Approximately one billion pounds of HCN are produced each year, most of which are used to prepare starting materials for polymers. Construct a complete bonding picture for HCN and sketch the various orbitals. 

However, it is known that, even when using construction materials only (no fimc-tional polymer resin or catalyst), bulk reactions can change to surface reactions with the surface acting as a real reactant . Here, the functional groups of the surface act as reactants. Such findings have only recently been identified (see Section 1.6.10). 

There is considerable interest in developing new types of magnetic materials, with a particular hope that ferroelectric solids and polymers can be constructed— materials having spontaneous electric polarization that can be reversed by an electric field. Such materials could lead to new low-cost memory devices for computers. The fine control of dispersed magnetic nanostructures will take the storage and tunability of magnetic media to new levels, and novel tunneling microscopy approaches allow measurement of microscopic hysteresis effects in iron nanowires. 

Such polymer composites (that will not be treated in this chapter) can be used as precursors to the C3 materials where the polymer is converted into a carbon phase with a low content of heteroatoms. A well-developed sp2 structure is desired, with its basic structural units being oriented perpendicular to the fiber axis. The required excellent mechanical and transport properties in the weak direction of the initial fiber can thus be delivered. This material is now called carbon and finds widespread application in energy-related structural material applications such as electric passenger cars, as construction material for airplanes and as the core structure of turbine blades for windmills and compression turbines. 

New polymer structures allow the control of processability and final characteristics. For example, Mitsui is launching nanostructured metallocene alpha-olefins that have a crystallite size of the order of nanometres instead of microns as for conventional metallocene polyolefins. This yields a better balance of transparency, heat resistance, flexibility and elasticity characteristics. Targeted applications are automotive interior trim, packaging film, construction materials, protective films for electronic and optical parts, sealing products and as polymer modifiers. 

Finally, for practical reasons it is useful to classify polymeric materials according to where and how they are employed. A common subdivision is that into structural polymers and functional polymers. Structural polymers are characterized by - and are used because of - their good mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties. Hence, they are primarily used as construction materials in addition to or in place of metals, ceramics, or wood in applications like plastics, fibers, films, elastomers, foams, paints, and adhesives. Functional polymers, in contrast, have completely different property profiles, for example, special electrical, optical, or biological properties. They can assume specific chemical or physical functions in devices for microelectronic, biomedical applications, analytics, synthesis, cosmetics, or hygiene. 

The phenomenological ordering of polymers projected for use as constructing materials is not an easy matter. Sometimes the temperature stability is used as a criterion, i.e., the temperature up to which the mechanical properties remain more or less constant. Another attempt for classification, uses the E modulus or the shape of the curve of stress-strain measurements (see Sect. 2.3.5.1). In general one can say that semicrystalline thermoplastics are stiff, tough, and impact-resistant while amorphous thermoplastics tend to be brittle. Their E... 

The use of conjugated light emitting polymers in the construction and commercialisation of organic LEDs is described in the section 3.8.6 on electroluminescence phenomena of Chapter 3. The rapid expansion of the development work on LEDs has inevitably led to the examination of luminescent conjugated polymers as materials for constructing laser diodes. 

Latex-modified mortars and concretes have become promising materials for preventing chloride-induced corrosion and for repairing damaged reinforced concrete structures. In Japan and the USA, latex-modified mortar is widely used as a construction material in bridge deck overlays and patching compounds, and for finishing and repairs [99]. Polymer-cement hydrate-... 

Some properties of these polyimides are presented in Table 3.6. These polymers are promising as film-forming materials and as construction materials [23-25] for various applications. 

VINYL CHLORIDE. Vinyl chlonde, [CAS 75-01-4] CH2=CHC1, by virtue of the wide range of application for its polymers in both flexible and rigid forms, is a major commodity chemical in the U.S. and an important item of international commerce. Growth in vinyl chlonde production is directly related to demand for its polymers and, on an eneigy-equivalent basis, rigid polyi vinyl chlonde) (PVC) is one of the most energy-efficient construction materials available. 

The long range objectives of the joint program are the investigation and development of a concrete-polymer composite as a new construction material. The program includes the development of techniques for preparing concrete-polymer material, measurement of the physical and chemical properties, preparation of full-scale concrete products, and the conceptual design and evaluation of various specific applications. 

Sensitivity to contaminants, both in fuel and oxidant and in fuel cell construction materials, surprisingly has not been studied enough. There is a very corrosive environment inside a fuel cell (hot, humid, and presence of sulfuric acid) which limits the choice of materials. Both catalyst and polymer membrane may be extremely sensitive to contaminants, particularly metal ions. More research in this area is required. 

As a cheap, recyclable construction material for micro reactors with sufficient short-term chemical resistance, polymers were explicitly mentioned. A further argument for the use of polymers is that for this material flexible computer-aided rapid prototyping methods are available in order to produce reactor components of complex shapes at moderate cost. The low thermal stability of polymers, however, demands advanced heating concepts when carrying out high-temperature reactions. 

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