Vinyl

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What is Vinyl?
Often referred to as infrastructure plastic Composed of 2 elements Chlorine & Ethylene Worlds most versatile plastic material Approximately 76% of PVC is used in building & construction applications 5 main construction uses Flooring, Roofing, Siding, Wallcoverings, Windows

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Vinyl Roofing

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Vinyl Siding

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Vinyl Windows

History of Vinyl
1920s - Invented by a rubber scientist named Waldo Semon (Accidental discovery during his search for a synthetic adhesive) 1930s - Plants manufacturing PVD sprung up to meet market demands 1940s - Vinyl-coated wires widely used on US military ships 1950s-60s More innovative uses were redefined to open up to more commercial applications - 5 companies 1980s Construction industry - 20 companies Now 2nd largest selling plastic in the world

How is Vinyl made?

A series of processing steps that converts hydrocarbon-based raw materials (petroleum, natural gas, coal) into unique synthetic products called polymers Ethylene and chlorine are combined to transformed to a gas, Vinyl Chloride Monomer Polymerization Combined with selected chemical additives and modifiers

Vinyl Production Process

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Other Applications
Irrigation & sewer Wire & cable insulation Gutter & downspouts Landfill liners Fire-sprinkler pipings Pipings used in food processing Pipings used in chemical manufacturing and other manufacturing

Benefits of Vinyl
Cost effective maintenance free

Figure: Typical construction costs of Vinyl in comparison to other materials http://www.azom.com/

 Energy efficient -1991 study by Franklin Associates shows that the use of vinyl
in 8 major building applications saves an estimated 260 trillion BTUs per year

Versatile & Design Flexible -Ability to formulate products in virtually any colour, size,
shape, thickness and performance quality

` corrosion, leaks and Durable resistant to rust, breaks

Figure: Installation and maintenance comparisons for construction materials http://www.azom.com/

 Environmental performance
- Requires less non-renewable petroleum resources & uses significantly less energy

Recyclable & Reusable

-Landfill avoidance -Accounts for less than 0.6% of landfilled waste by weight

Low Contribution to Greenhouse gases

Disadvantages
Example: Vinyl Flooring
- Cannot be polished or refinished - Will eventually lose luster and wear down - Fades when exposed to sunlight for long periods of time - Easy to tear due to pliable nature

Lot 6 Cafe

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References
Azom.com (2011) Vinyl (Poly Vinyl Chloride) in Construction. [online] Available at: http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=988 [Accessed: 26 Apr 2013]. Bellis, M. (1872) History of Vinyl. [online] Available at: http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventors/a/Vinyl.htm [Accessed: 26 Apr 2013]. Floor-facts.com (n.d.) Floor-Facts.com :: Floor-Facts.com :: Vinyl Flooring :: Pros and Cons of Vinyl Flooring. [online] Available at: http://www.floor-facts.com/vinyl-flooring/pros-and-cons-of-vinyl-flooring/ [Accessed: 26 Apr 2013]. Tilesporcelain.co.uk (2007) Things You Should Know About Vinyl Flooring. [online] Available at: http://www.tilesporcelain.co.uk/readingmaterial/other/things-you-should-know-about-vinyl-flooring.php [Accessed: 26 Apr 2013]. Vinylinfo.org (1920) About Vinyl | Vinyl Info. [online] Available at: http://www.vinylinfo.org/vinyl-info/about-vinyl/ [Accessed: 26 Apr 2013].