Vinyl

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What is Vinyl?

• Often referred to as “infrastructure plastic”• Composed of 2 elements – Chlorine &

Ethylene• World’s most versatile plastic material• Approximately 76% of PVC is used in

building & construction applications• 5 main construction uses – Flooring, Roofing,

Siding, Wallcoverings, Windows

Vinyl Roofing

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Vinyl Siding

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Vinyl Windows

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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 materialshttp://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

`• Durable – resistant to rust, corrosion, leaks and breaks

Figure: Installation and maintenance comparisons for construction materialshttp://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/reading-material/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].