Polymer-based Building Materials: Effects of Quality on Durability

Abstract

Polymer is the main substance of plastic. Monomers are the ‘building blocks’, polymer is the completed plastic and the reaction is called polymerization. During production processes, as well as oil-based chemicals, chlorine, hydrochloric acid, fluorine, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur are the substances used. Nearly all plastics include additives like plasticizers, pigments, stabilizers against solar radiation, preservatives and perfumes. Plastic is a substance that contains natural or synthetic high molecular organic material which can be liquefied and thereby cast in specific moulds. Quality can be defined as the appropriateness level of a product to the desires of the consumer. The quality of a product or a complete building or other construction is the totality of its attributes. Quality enables to perform a stated task or to fulfil a given need satisfactorily for an acceptance period of time. If the material has low level of quality, durability of the material will be shortened. Plastic building materials are used in floors, roofs and walls. It is difficult and expensive to repair or replace them. Plastics should have a functional life-span at least 50 years equivalent to other materials in the building. It is unlikely that any of today’s plastics can satisfy such conditions. In this paper, the meaning of quality will be defined again through the view of polymer based (plastics) building materials. Quality properties which will enable the durability of polymer based materials with a more functional life span will be discussed. The last developments in plastics industry and their effects on durability will also be reported