BUILDING MATERIALS – II

PLASTICS
POLYMERS
POLYMERS
 POLYMERS: a large molecule, or macromolecule, composed of many

repeated subunits, known as monomers

 Broad range of properties - play an essential and ubiquitous role in

everyday life

 Range from familiar synthetic plastics such as polystyrene to

natural biopolymers such as DNA and proteins that are fundamental to

biological structure and function

POLYMERS - TYPES
POLYMER
S

NATURAL POLYMERS SYNTHETIC POLYMERS

synthetic rubber,
Bakelite, neoprene, nylon,
  polyvinyl chloride
shellac, amber, wool, silk 
(PVC),
and natural rubber,
polystyrene, polyethylene
cellulose
,  polypropylene,
polyacrylonitrile, PVB, sili
cone,
POLYMERIZATION
 Simplest substances consisting of one primary chemical – monomers

 Monomers – combined and synthesized to form POLYMERS / MACRO

MOLECULES– a process called POLYMERIZATION

 Polymerization – occurs due to formation of new C – C linkages

 POLYMERS - CLASSIFICATION
 A monomer for polymerization should be bi- or polyfunctional, i.e. it must contain 2 or more
functional groups

 Some functional groups are: hydroxyl acid, amino acid, di-amino acid, di-acids, di- or poly

# alchohols
Classification type Description
Monomeric
 Polymer structures can be units are joined
classified according in the
to shape form ofmolecules
of macro long straight chains, such
polymers have high densities, high tensile strength and high
a LINEAR STRUCTURE
melting point.
e. g. Polyethylene, nylons and polyesters
Mainly linear in nature but also possess some branches along the
BRANCHED CHAIN main chain. E.g. low density polyethene (LDPE)
b
STRUCTURE They have densities, lower tensile strength and low melting point
e. g. Amylopectin and glycogen
Monomeric unit’s are linked together to constitute a three
CROSS-LINKED
c dimensional network. They are hard, rigid, and brittle.
STRUCTURE
e. g. Bakelite, Melamine formaldehyde resin, etc,
NETWORKING This type of structure is formed by trifunctional and tetra functional
d
STRUCTURE monomers
PLASTICS
OVERVIEW
 Plastic - one of the recent engineering materials

 Use of plastics dates back to 1800s

  In the early 1900s, Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic was invented

 Due to the wide acceptance as engineering material, has started replacing

metals, glass, ceramics & other building materials
CHARACTERISTICS
 A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semi-
synthetic organic solids

( polymeric compounds of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, etc.)

 Consist of natural or synthetic resins or binders with or without fillers,

plasticizers and pigments

 Typically organic polymers of high molecular mass

 Usually synthetic, most commonly derived from petrochemicals, but many are
partially natural

 Can be moulded into any desired shape/ form when subjected to heat and
pressure in the presence of a catalyst

 Finished product – rigid and stable at normal temperature

DESIRABLE PROPERTIES OF PLASTICS
UNDESIRABLE PROPERTIES OF PLASTICS
PLASTICS - CLASSIFICATION
BASIS OF
# CLASSES DESCRIPTION
CLASSIFICATION

-Plastics become soft when heated, hard

when cooled
-Process of softening & hardening may be
THERMO-
repeated, provided heating does not
PLASTICS
cause chemical change/ decomposition
-Thus, it is possible to shape & reshape
this plastic by heat & pressure

-Plastics become rigid when moulded at

suitable temperature & pressure
1 BEHAVIOR W.R.T. HEAT -When heated to 127-177OC, they set
permanently
-Further application of heat does not
harden or soften them
THERMO- -At about 343OC, they get charred
SETTING -Durable, strong & hard – used for
engineering purposes
-Soluble in alchohol & some organic
solvents when in thermo-plastic stage –
this property is utilized for making paints
from these plastics
PLASTICS - CLASSIFICATION
BASIS OF
# CLASSES DESCRIPTION
CLASSIFICATION
- Plastics of this group - composed of only
HOMOGENOUS
carbon atoms – they exhibit homogenous
PLASTIC
structure
2 STRUCTURE - Plastics of this group - composed of
HETEROGENOUS chain containing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen
PLASTIC and other elements – exhibit
heterogeneous structures
-Have high modulus of elasticity
-Retain their shape under exterior
RIGID PLASTICS
stresses applied under normal or
moderately increased temperatures
-Medium modulus of elasticity
SEMI-RIGID -Elongation under pressure completely
PLASTICS
disappears when pressure is removed
PHYSICAL &
3 MECHANICAL -Low modulus of elasticity
PROPERTIES SOFT PLASTICS -Elongation under pressure disappears
slowly after removal of pressure
-Soft with low modulus of elasticity
-Deform considerably under load at room
temperature and return to original shape
ELASTOMERS
when load is released
-
CONSTITUENTS OF PLASTICS
# CONSTITUENTS PARTICULARS
-Binder holds different constituents together
-Classified into thermo-plastic & thermo-setting resins
-Examples of thermo-plastic resins: alkyd, cellulose, styrene,
1 RESINS/ BINDERS
vinyl
-Examples of thermo-setting resins: casein, urea
formaldehyde, phenol formaldehyde, etc.
-Organic compounds mostly of liquid nature and of low
molecular weight
-Imparts desirable combination of strength, flexibility &
toughness
2 PLASTICIZERS -Facilitates moulding process of plastic articles
-Proportion should not exceed 10%, else strength will
decrease
-Should be chemically inert, non-toxic and have low volatility
-E.g. – camphor, triacetin, tributyl phosphate, etc.
- Inert materials which impart strength, hardness, opacity
and workability to plastics
-Reduces cost & shrinkage on setting
- Fibrous fillers – increase thermal strength and reduce
brittleness. E.g. wood, asbestos, glass fibres, etc.
3 FILLER -Laminated fillers – make plastics very strong. E.g. papers,
wood veneers, cardboards, etc.
-Powder fillers – provide acid resistance, water resistance,
CONSTITUENTS OF PLASTICS
# CONSTITUENTS PARTICULARS
-Added to achieve desired color
4 PIGMENT -Resistant to sunlight
-E.g. zinc oxide, barytes, etc.
-Used to make moulding of plastic easier to prevent sticking
5 LUBRICANT of materials to moulds for a flawless finish
-E.g. graphite, paraffin, wax, etc.
-Added to assist and accelerate the hardening of resin
-Used only in case of thermo-setting plastics to accelerate
6 CATALYST
polymerization
-E.g. ester is a catalyst for urea formaldehyde
-Added to increase hardness of resin
7 HARDENERS -E.g. – hexamethylene tetramine is a hardener for phenol
formaldehyde
-Added to dissolve the plasticizer
8 SOLVENTS -E.g. – alchohol is added in cellulose nitrate plastics to
dissolve camphor
Sodium-bicarbonate and ammonium bicarbonate are
9 BLOWING AGENT
sometimes added to plastics to produce porous articles
FABRICATION OF PLASTICS
 The method used for fabrication of commercial articles from plastics depends
on type, resin, shape, size and thickness of articles

 Common methods are:

 Blowing

 Calendering

 Casting

 Lamination

 Moulding
PLASTIC FABRICATION - BLOWING
• Similar as glass industry
BLOWING • Lump of plastic material is taken and by blowing, is converted into
hollow plastic articles such as jars, bottles, etc.
PLASTIC FABRICATION - CALENDERING
• Used to prepare plain flat sheets of plastic
• Plastic material is allowed to pass between 4 cylindrical rollers
• First 3 rollers are heated and last is kept cold
CALENDERING • Plastic material is passed through first 3 cylinders and is converted
into thin sheets and cooled while passing through last cylinder
• Rollers may have artistic designs which will appear on the finished
products
PLASTIC FABRICATION - CASTING
• Process similar in principle to metal casting
• Resin heated and when in plastic form, poured into mould
• Curing is done with or without application of heat
CASTING
• Low pressure may be required
• Process used to prepare cellulose plastics, transparent plastics, etc.
• Optical properties of transparent plastics are better if cast
PLASTIC FABRICATION - LAMINATING
• Thermosetting resins are applied on paper, asbestos, cloth, wood,
fibre, glass, etc. and subjected to heavy pressure by allowing them
to pass through rollers to form plastic laminates
LAMINATION • Thickness – 0.12 mm – 15 mm
• Possess excellent mechanical and electrical properties
• Due to pleasing finish, may be used for decoration & ornamental
purposes also
PLASTIC FABRICATION -MOULDING
 Most commonly adopted process for fabrication of plastic articles

 Raw materials are placed in moulds and heated

 Moulds are of several types

COMPRESSION MOULDING

 Moulds are generally heated

 Plastic materials are kept in mould and heated to 100 – 200 OC under 10 – 50
N/mm2 pressure

 Plastic gets the shape of the moulds

PLASTIC FABRICATION -MOULDING
EXTRUSION MOULDING

 Resin powder is fed through hopper

 At the outlet end, the material is

heated and is extruded or forced out
through a nozzle

 Plastic material is received in moulds

and is cooled

 Used to manufacture ribbons, sheets,

pipes, rods, etc.

INJECTION MOULDING

 Comparatively modern method

 Plastic material is loaded, heated and

then injected into the mould
PLASTIC FABRICATION -MOULDING
JET MOULDING

 Plastic material is moderately

heated

 Then allowed to pass through a

nozzle which is preheated to a high
temperature

 May be adopted for both thermo-

setting and thermo-plastics

TRANSFER MOULDING

 When the process of injection

moulding is applied to the thermo-
setting resins, it is known as transfer
moulding
COMPOSITE MATERIALS FROM PLASTICS
LINOLEUM
 A plastic material obtained by oxidizing linseed oil into a rubber like substance
mixed with ground cork, wood flour and pigments

 The resulting material is pressed upon a backing of burlap

 Available in tiles & rolls

CLASSIFICATION

 Classified as :

 PLAIN: uniform color, 2-4.5 mm thickness

 PRINTED: has printed patterns on it in oil paints; 1.25 – 2mm thickness

 INLAID: small units of linoleum in different colors pressed on burlap backing

PROPERTIES

 Durable, resilient, quiet and comfortable. Cheap & easy to install & maintain

USES

 Most suitable for decorative floor covering for wood & concrete floors
LINOLEUM

LINOLEUM WITH
BACKING

PLAIN PRINTED LINOLEUM INLAID LINOLEUM

FIBRE GLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC
 Fibre glass reinforced plastic (FRP or GRP) is formed by plastic in conjunction with glass
fibres
 Glass fibres provide stiffness and strength
 Resin/ plastic provides matrix to transfer load to fibres
PROPERTIES
 Aesthetic appeal: Available in excellent finish & can be adopted for eye catching aesthetics
 Corrosion resistance: Excellent resistance to moisture and chemicals over a large
temperature range. Does not rust, corrode, etc.
 Dimensional stability: Holds its forms and shape even under severe mechanical and
environmental stresses
 Durability: Performance under fatigue or creep is known to be superior to metals; therefore,
durable & long working life
 Easy to repair: Requires common skill and little or no equipment – can be repaired easily
 Effect on health: Inorganic material, can be used to store anything. E.g. FRP containers used
to store milk
 Energy saving: Requires far less energy for production. For instance, it requires only 2/3rds
energy required to make a similar steel part
 Freedom of design: Can be fabricated in any desired shape. Hence, possible to make use of
efficient structural shapes requiring min. material for max. strength
 Light transmission: Thinner sections – transmit large amounts of light
 Light weight: Weighs roughly half the steel component for bearing the same load. Results in
 FIBRE GLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC
APPLICATIONS OF FRP IN BUILDING INDUSTRY
CONCRETE Moulds & forms of FRP can give the cast concrete shapes of very high quality and can
1
SHUTTERING be used to make complicated concrete shapes
Domes in unique shapes and designs with large dimensions can be created for high
2 DOMES aesthetics
Translucent dome lights can be used for industrial, commercial & public buildings
Light weight door & window and even frames can be made of FRP – long life, easy
DOOR & WINDOW
3 maintenance, reduction in overall cost
FRAMES
FRP doors for bathrooms and toilets eliminates problems of rotting
INTRNAL PARTITIONS Flat, corrugated or fancy FRP sheets may be used for partitions for industrial &
4
& WALL PANELLING commercial buildings. FRP can also be used for various designs of wall panelling
Translucent FRP sheets – a versatile medium for lighting.
5 ROOF SHEETS
Sheets available in various forms – corrugated type most common
STRUCTURAL FRP can be used to make available structural sections with the advantage of equal
6
SECTIONS strength at low weights. Have excellent properties of flexure and tension.
Ideally suited for temporary structures at project sites, watchman cabins, green
TEMPORARY houses, defense shelters, vehicle parking sheds, etc.
7
STRUCTURES Can be constructed with or without thermal insulation. Can be easily dismantled,
carried and re-erected at a different site at a lower cost.
FRP water storage tanks are found to be superior to steel, concrete or galvanized iron
water tanks, because of following reasons:
-Can be installed indoors, outdoors or even underground
- easy to install, maintain & clean
8 WATER TANKS -Light in weight, possess high strength to weight ratio
-Can be fabricated in any shape to suit space constraints
-Does not produce any harmful effects
-Does not support bacterial growth
FIBRE GLASS REINFORCED PLASTIC
POLY-VINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)
 Most versatile plastic

 Use of PVC as pipes in buildings – popular everyday

PROPERTIES & ADVANTAGES

 Rust proof, termite proof, water proof

 Unaffected by extreme temperatures, saline air, etc.

 Does not fade, corrode, warp – low maintenance

 Provide good thermal insulation – may be ideal for air-conditioned and heated rooms

 Restrict dust penetration – may be used for OTs, computer rooms, food processing plants,
etc.

 Permit high, smooth and undiminished flow of water/ fluid

USES

 Pipes, conduits, joints, valves, etc. in plumbing


POLY-VINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)
 PLASTIC COATED PAPER
 Plastic coated paper combines advantages of paper with
the durability of plastic

 Consists of Low or High Density Polythene (LDPE/ HDPE)

film coated paper

 Properties

 Water resistance

 Tear resistant,

 Increased durability

 Improved printing surface

 Salt resistance

 Plastic-coated paper products are a common type of food

packaging made from paper and coated with plastic to
prevent liquid absorption or freezer burn, or to otherwise
enhance product performance.  

 These products include milk and juice cartons, hot and cold
POLYTHENE SHEETS
 Polythene sheeting is made from plastic in a variety of
thicknesses and is available is several colors

 Typically sold in rolls

 Polythene sheeting is commonly used in industrial and

home settings.

 It is favoured since it can protect areas from various

weather elements.

 Builders involved in construction or remodelling use

polythene sheeting to cover the exterior of the
building to keep the elements out.

 In certain cases, it is also used as a cheap DPC layer

for buildings
Type Thickness Best Used for
Light Duty 86 micron Protecting furniture, painting, or small home repairs
Medium Duty 125 micron Protecting furniture, storage and transit, ground warming
Heavy Duty 250 micron Weatherproofing, heavy duty transit, ground warming,
lawn care, temporary roof and wall cover, DPC, etc.
PLASTIC LAMINATES
 Lamination is the technique of manufacturing a material in multiple layers, so
that the composite material achieves improved strength, stability, sound
insulation, appearance or other properties from the use of differing materials.

 Plastic laminate is a composite building material made from kraft paper, resin,
and adhesives.

 Multiple layers of kraft paper are soaked in resin, then pressed together at high
levels of temperature and pressure to form a single sheet.

 Plastic laminate adhesive or resin is then used to add a decorative paper or

melamine top layer.

 Finally, a protective urethane top coat, or wear coat is added to enhance strength
and durability.

 Plastic laminates may be used as ordinary laminates – sold under popular brand
names such as Formica, Sunmica, etc.

 Plastic laminates are water proof, stain resistant and easy to maintain
PLASTIC LAMINATES
 DISADVANTAGES

 Plastic laminate adhesives contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

which deteriorate the indoor air quality

 Laminates are also considered less durable than other materials as they
have tendency to chip, crack, etc.

 It can also be difficult to repair once damaged, and requires more

frequent replacement than alternative products like stone or ceramic
tile.