Semester 4: 2011 AR 402 BUILDING MATERIALS

AND CONSTRUCTION III

Introduction
 A Plastic is a synthetic (artificial, "man-made") material
consisting of long, chain-like molecules.
 Polymerization is the process by which small molecules
are joined together to form very long chains.
 A Polymer is simply a very long molecule made of identical components
joined together. Different varieties of polymer can be light-weight,
corrosion-resistant, stiff or flexible, strong or weak, clear or opaque,
insulators or conductors, low friction, heat-resistant or sensitive, convert
light or motion to electricity.
Manufacturing processes
Three major polymerization mechanisms:
Addition, Condensation & Cross linking

 Addition: process by which individual mers are covalently

bonded together to form very long chains of several
thousand mers; addition of mers has a minimal effect on
the properties of either molecule.
Manufacturing processes
Three major polymerization mechanisms:
 Addition: process by which individual mers are covalently
bonded together to form very long chains of several
thousand mers; addition of mers has a minimal effect on
the properties of either molecule.
 Condensation: process by which a covalent bond forms
between two or more different types of molecules and a by-
product, such as water, is released; significantly alters the
properties of the components.
Manufacturing processes
 Cross-linking: process by which several chain-like
molecules are joined together to form a three-dimensional
network structure. Vulcanization links strands of rubber
together.
Manufacturing processes
Resins - is a "solid or highly viscous substance, usually containing
prepolymers with reactive groups.“ - can be plant derived or
synthetic.
Plant resins – amber, frankincense, turpentine etc.
Insect resins – shellac, lacquer etc
Synthetic resins – Asphaltite, Epoxy etc.
Manufacturing processes
 PLASTICIZERS
Polymers are often are too brittle or rigid for a particular
application. They are softened by the addition of small molecules
called plasticizers that dissolve in the polymer. The plasticizer in
polymer is like the sauce on spaghetti, keeping it from setting up.
The most common are dibutyl and dioctyl, relatively non-toxic
compounds.
Manufacturing processes
Structural foam molding is a low pressure injection molding
process where an inert gas is introduced into melted polymer for
the purpose of reducing density and weight of the finished
product while increasing the strength.
 The structural foam molding process utilizes a molten resin
that has been injected with nitrogen gas or a chemical
blowing agent. This mixture is injected into the mold, where
the gas expands and fills the mold with foam.
 As the foam flows through the mold, the surface cells
collapse. Solid skins are formed against the walls of the
mold, while the core of the part remains structurally foamed.
Manufacturing processes
 Part weight reduced 10% to 30%
 Increased strength and stiffness due to honeycomb structure
 HIGHEST STRENGTH-TO-WEIGHT RATIO compared to
alternative manufacturing methods and materials.
 Can replace concrete, sheet metal, metal castings, wood,
fiberglass, rotational molding and blow molding in a variety of
applications
 Superior impact resistance
 More rigid than a solid part
 Low part stress and warpage
 Consistent surface finish
Advanced Materials
Polycarbonates
 new thermoplastic patented by
Bayer in 1953
 lightweight, durable and
inexpensive
 Structured multiwall sheet plastic
is an extruded polycarbonate
panel that can be used in place of
glass in a variety of applications
indoors and out.
 The inner and outer layers are
connected by fins that create
channel-like flutes. This interior
structure is similar to an I-beam,
lending the sheet stability and
special thermal properties.
Advanced Materials
 24 to 36 feet standard length with
4-6 ft standard width.
 4-32 mm thick, usual 6-10 mm
 Thermal properties. Multiwall
panels contain an interior air space
that accounts for its increased
insulating properties over standard
glass. This produces R-values
ranging from 1.4 (4 millimeters) to
4.1 (35millimeters).
 Solar heat-gain coefficient
(SHGC) Special coatings have
been developed to reduce the
SHGC from a high of .77 (77
percent of heat striking the surface
will be admitted) to a value near .1
(10 percent admitted).
Advanced Materials
Advantages: Disadvantages:
 Lightweight (10 to 20 times lighter than
glass)
 Diffused daylighting solution
 Low cost
 Impact resistance 200 times greater than
glass and 30 times greater than acrylic 
(meets strict U.S. impact codes of
Florida and Texas)
 Moderately thermally efficient
 100 percent recyclable
 Easily installed
 Easily cut with common tools (circular
saw etc.)
 Easily formed into radiuses
 Decent published wind- and snow-load
values
 Blocks UV light
 Subject to UV damage and
yellowing with time and direct
sunlight exposure (special coatings
can help)
Condensation must be managed
(special coatings can do this)
 Can be scratched
 Moderately thermally efficient
 Coatings to improve performance
can add greatly to the cost
 10-year limited warranty against
yellowing and light-transmission
loss
Advanced Materials
 Composite plastics refer to those types of plastics that result
from bonding two or more homogeneous materials with different
material properties to derive a final product with certain desired
material and mechanical properties.
 Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) (also fibre-reinforced polymer) is
a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced
with fibers. The fibres are usually glass,carbon, aramid, or basalt.
Advanced Materials
Structural plastics
 Structurally engineered thermoplastics are an excellent
alternative to metal in applications where strength,
dimensional stability, and toughness are important.

 Reinforced compounds offer dramatic improvements

over neat resins in stiffness, tensile strength, load-
bearing ability, and other properties — including short-
term temperature resistance.
Advanced Materials
Reinforced plastic compounds

 Glass Fiber Reinforcement - Glass fiber is the most common

additive used. It lowers warpage and reduces creep,
particularly at higher temperatures. Glass fibers can vary in
length and have a general diameter of 10 to 15 microns.
 Very Long Fiber Compounds
 Nylon Very Long Fiber Compounds
 Polypropylene Very Long Fiber Compounds
 Short Fiber Compounds
Advanced Materials
ETFE
 Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, ETFE, a fluorine based
plastic
 relatively high melting temperature, excellent chemical,
electrical and high-energy radiation resistance
Advanced Materials
Advanced Materials
ETFE
Transparent windows are created either
by inflating two or more layers of foil to
form cushions or tensioning into a
single skin membrane.
Weighing approximately 1% the weight
of glass, single ply ETFE membranes
and ETFE cushions are both extremely
light weight.
High translucency - transmitting up to
95% of light

http://www.architen.com/articles/etfe-the-new-fabric-roof/