JUST ADD WATER TO POLYESTER TO MAKE A STRUCTURAL MATERIAL

A LOW-COST, FAST-SETTING STRUCTURAL MATERIAL THAT MAY SUPPLANT WOOD, PLASTER, CONCRETE, AND CERAMICS IN SOME APPLICATIONS WAS ANNOUNCED AT LAST MONTH'S SPI REINFORCED PLASTICS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON. THE MATERIAL IS BASED ON POLYESTER RESINS DISPERSED IN WATER THAT CAN MAKE UP EVEN 90% OF THE TOTAL MIX. THESE WATER-EXTENDED PLASTICS WERE DEVELOPED BY ADM CHEMICALS DIV. OF ASHLAND OIL & REFINING CO., MINNEAPOLIS. ADM SELLS THE SPECIAL POLYESTER RESINS, UNCURED. THE USER ADDS WATER AND CONVERTS THE MIXTURE TO A SOLID BY APPLYING CATALYSTS AND PROMOTERS. BLENDING THE RESIN WITH THE WATER TO FORM AN EMULSION CREATES TINY DROPLETS, 2 TO 5 MICRONS IN DIAMETER, BUT THERE IS NO TRACE OF MOISTURE IN THE CURED MATERIAL. THE WATER IS TRAPPED IN CELLS WITHIN THE CROSS-LINKED POLYMERIC STRUCTURE. AT THE HIGHEST PROPORTION OF WATER (90% OF CONTENT), THE CURED MATERIAL IS MORE LIKE A PLASTIC FOAM THAN A SOLID PLASTIC. ADM CHEMISTS SAY THE STRONGEST MATERIALS ARE MADE WITH 50% TO 60% WATER. THEY AREN'T HIGH-STRENGTH MATERIALS, BUT THEY HAVE FOUR TIMES THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF WOOD AND RATE ABOUT THE SAME AS WOOD IN TENSILE AND FLEXURAL PROPERTIES. FINAL COSTS, OF COURSE, DEPEND ON HOW MUCH WATER IS BLENDED WITH THE POLYESTER. ADM SAYS A 60%-WATER MATERIAL SHOULD COST ABOUT 9 CENTS A LB OR $4/CU. FT. /ARTICLE/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 39, No 6, P 110, 1 PHOT
• Publication Date: 1968-3

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Product Engineering
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill, Incorporated

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blending; Catalysts; Compressive strength; Economics; Emulsions; Extenders; Plastic foams; Plastics; Polyester resins; Resins; Structural materials; Water
• Old TRIS Terms: Extended plastics
• Subject Areas: Economics; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00216347
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 13 1994 12:00AM