Petroleum Engineering

Training

Chapter 9 Polymeric
Materials from Petroleum

Prepared by: Mr Ali Abbas

 Introduction

• Many products such as nylon, plastics, and rubber come from

petroleum-based polymers.
• The most used by-product of crude oil is gasoline (petrol); however,
today more than 6,000 products are produced wholly or in part, from
petroleum. These products contain polymers.

• Polymer: a huge, chain-like molecule made by combining many small

molecules called monomers.

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• The synthetic polymer industry represents the major end use of
many petrochemical monomers such as ethylene, styrene.
• Many articles that were previously made from naturally occurring
materials such as wood,cotton, wool, iron, aluminum, and glass are
being replaced or partially substituted by synthetic polymers.
• Clothes made from polyester, nylon, and acrylic fibers or their blends
with natural fibers currently dominate the apparel market.

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THERMOPLASTICS AND
ENGINEERING RESINS
• Thermoplastics are important polymeric materials that have replaced
or substituted many naturally-derived products such as paper, wood,
and steel.
• The major use of the plastics is in the packaging field. Many other
uses include construction, electrical and mechanical goods, insulation
and automotive field.

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Petroleum Refinery Engineering Mr. Ali Abbas 5
Properties and Uses of Polyethylenes
Polyethylene is an inexpensive thermoplastic that can be molded
into almost any shape, extruded into fiber or filament, and blown or
precipitated into film or foil.
 Polyethylene products include packaging , bottles, irrigation pipes,
film, sheets, and insulation materials.
 Approximately 64% of all plastic bottles are made from HDPE.

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POLYPROPYLENE

 Polypropylene (PP) is a major thermoplastic polymer. Although

polypropylene did not take its position among the large volume
polymers until fairly recently, it is currently the third largest
thermoplastic after PVC.
 Due to its low crystallinity, it is not suitable for thermoplastic or fiber
use.

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Properties and Uses of Polypropylene
Articles made from polypropylene have good electrical and chemical
resistance and low water absorption. Its other useful characteristics
are its light weight (lowest thermoplastic polymer density), high
abrasion resistance, dimensional stability, high impact strength, and
no toxicity.
 • Polypropylene can be extruded into sheets and thermoformed by
solidphase pressure forming into thin- walled containers. Due to its
light weight and toughness, polypropylene and its copolymers are
extensively used in automobile parts.

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Polyvinyl chloride PVC
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is one of the most widely used
thermoplastics. It can be extruded into sheets and film.
 and blow molded into bottles

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Properties and Uses of Polyvinyl
Chloride
Two types of the homopolymer are available, the flexible and the
rigid.
 Both types have excellent chemical and abrasion resistance.
 flexible PVC goes into such items as tablecloths, shower curtains,
furniture, automobile upholstery, wire and cable insulation.
 Rigid PVC is used in many items such as pipes, fittings roofing,
automobile parts, and bottles.
 An important property of PVC is that it is self- extinguishing due to
presence of the chlorine atom.

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Polystyrene (PS)

Polystyrene (PS) is the fourth big-volume thermoplastic. Styrene can

be polymerized alone or copolymerized with other monomers.

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Properties and Uses of Styrene Polymers

The most important use of polystyrene is in packaging. Molded

polystyrene is used in items such as automobile interior parts,
furniture, and home appliances.

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NYLON RESINS

 Nylon resins are important engineering thermoplastics. Nylons are

produced by a condensation reaction of amino acids, a diacid and a
diamine.
 The polymers, however, are more important for producing synthetic
fibers. • Important properties of nylons are toughness, abrasion and
wear resistance, chemical resistance, and ease of processing.

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THERMOPLASTIC POLYESTERS

 Thermoplastic polyesters are among the large-volume engineering

thermoplastics produced by condensation polymerization of
terephthalic acid with ethylene glycol or 1,4-butanediol.
 These materials are used to produce film for magnetic tapes due to
their abrasion and chemical resistance, low water absorption, and
low gas permeability

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POLYCARBONATES

Polycarbonates (PC) are another group of condensation

thermoplastics used mainly for special engineering purposes. These
polymers are considered polyesters of carbonic acid. They are by an
exchange reaction between bisphenol A or a similar bisphenol with
diphenyl carbonate

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Properties and Uses of Polycarbonates
Polycarbonates, known for their toughness in molded parts, it
designed to replace metals and glass in applications demanding
strength and temperature resistance, offer advantages of light
weight, low cost, and ease of fabrication.
 Materials made from polycarbonates are transparent, strong, and
heat and break-resistant.
 Polycarbonates are used in a variety of articles such as laboratory
safety shields, street light globes, and safety helmets. The maximum
usage temperature for polycarbonate objects is 125°C.

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POLYETHER SULFONES

Polyether sulfones (PES) are another class of engineering

thermoplastics generally used for objects that require continuous use
of temperatures around 200°C. They can also be used at low
temperatures with no change in their physical properties.

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Properties and Uses of Aromatic Polyether
Sulfones
In general, properties of polyether sulfones are similar to those of
polycarbonates, but they can be used at higher temperatures. •
Aromatic polyether sulfones can be extruded into thin films and foil
and injection molded into various objects that need high-
temperature stability

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SYNTHETIC RUBBER

 Synthetic rubbers (elastomers) are long-chain polymers with special

chemical and physical as well as mechanical properties. These
materials have chemical stability, high abrasion resistance, strength,
and good dimensional stability
 The major use of rubber is for tire production. Non-tire consumption
includes hoses, footwear, molded and extruded materials, and
plasticizers

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SYNTHETIC FIBERS

 Fibers are solid materials characterized by a high ratio of length to

diameter. They can be manufactured from a natural origin such as
silk, wool, and cotton, or derived from a natural fiber such as rayon.
They may also be synthesized from certain monomers by
polymerization (synthetic fibers).
 In general, polymers with high melting points, high crystallinity, and
moderate thermal stability and tensile strengths are suitable for fiber
production.

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The end