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August 26, 2017
SABIC unveils new low-sagging HDPE piping
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) recently revealed several new thick-walled HDPE pipe. The new piping is made from PE112 pipe which helps transport larger amounts of liquids than previous offerings. These pipes are expected to be used largely to transport water in both mining operations and desalination processes.
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SABIC unveils new low-sagging HDPE piping
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) recently revealed several new thick-walled HDPE pipe. The new piping is made from PE112 pipe which helps transport larger amounts of liquids than previous offerings. These pipes are expected to be used largely to transport water in both mining operations and desalination processes.
Click for More Info
Wilshire Grand Center uses PEX Pipe Assists
August 14, 2017
PEX Pipe Assists Construction in Reaching New Highs
The massive Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles recently opened as the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, standing at 1100 feet above the ground. Naturally, such a building needs a good strong base to stand on. Fortunately, the base is exceptionally sturdy, with assistance from PEX piping. The 18-foot concrete base is embedded with PEX pipe, which was used to help regulate the temperature of the slab during the curing process. The PEX piping performed perfectly during a marathon 30 hour session of pouring concrete.
Click for More Info
August 2, 2017
Glass Transition Temperature, Tg - by Rich Geoffroy
So what is the Glass Transition Temperature, Tg?
We’ll often hear someone talking about the Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of a polymer, but so what? What does it mean, and why should I care about it?
The glass transition temperature is a function of chain flexibility. The glass transition occurs when there is enough vibrational (thermal) energy in the system to create sufficient free-volume to permit sequences of 6-10 main-chain carbons to move together as a unit. At this point, the mechanical behavior of the polymer changes from rigid and brittle to tough and leathery --- the behavior we define as “plastic behavior”. Actually, the glass transition temperature is more important in plastics applications than is the melting point, because it tells us a lot about how the polymer behaves under ambient conditions. The melting temperature is often referred to as the “first-order transition” --- that’s where the polymer changes state from solid to liquid. Technically, only crystalline polymers have a true melting point; that’s the temperature at which the crystallites melt and the total mass of plastic becomes amorphous. Amorphous polymers do not have a true melting point, however, they do have a first-order transition where their mechanical behavior transitions from a rubbery nature to viscous rubbery flow.
All polymers have some temperature at which their physical properties are rigid and glassy, similar to crystal polystyrene (Tg = 100°C). Take polypropylene (Tg = 0°C) down to -40°C and try to break it, you’ll see what I mean. In its glassy state, the mechanical behavior of the polymer is relatively stable. The material is very hard and brittle, and the properties don’t change significantly with temperature --- modulus remains high and impact strength is almost nil. However, as the temperature rises, there will be a point where the behavior of the polymer will change fairly rapidly from glassy to a very tough and leathery behavior. This change in behavior is evidenced by a sharp decline in modulus (stiffness), or increase in impact strength as the ambient temperature is increased. This region is termed the glass transition region. The temperature at the midpoint of the transition from glassy to rubbery, the glass transition region, is defined as the glass transition temperature, Tg.
If the ambient temperature is elevated further, the material behavior becomes similar to a rubber. In this region, called the rubbery plateau, the low modulus and high impact strength again become less significantly affected by temperature. However, at some point the material becomes so soft that it will flow under very low pressure, this is the final transition to viscous rubbery flow. This is considered the “melting” temperature of the polymer, or the first-order transition temperature.
So what does all of this mean? Basically if a polymer’s glass transition temperature is well above (say, 50°C above) ambient room temperature, the material will behave like a brittle glassy polymer --- it’ll be stiff with relatively low impact resistance. Conversely, if the Tg is well below room temperature, the material is what is commonly termed a rubber or elastomer --- soft and easily stretched; and those materials whose Tg is reasonably close to the ambient temperature will exhibit plastic material behavior --- strong and tough with good impact resistance.
In applications that can experience temperature extremes, it is important to know what the potential exposure temperatures are and how they will affect the mechanical behavior of the material. In the earlier example of polypropylene, a tough plastic in room-temperature applications, we saw that it turns glassy and brittle at low temperatures, while at elevated temperatures, the material becomes soft and easily deformed under low loads --- rubber-like. This change in properties is simply the effect of temperature on the mechanical behavior of the material as it proceeds from well below its Tg, through its glass transition and into the rubbery plateau. At even higher temperatures, the crystallites will melt and the material will flow under moderate pressure --- the transition which occurs in the plasticating unit --- and allows us to fabricate parts from a material which we call PLASTIC.
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August 1, 2017
Young Pipeline Professionals Hosting Symposium
Young Pipeline Professionals U.S.A., an organization dedicated to assisting those pipe industry workers age 35 and under through networking and career advancement, announced the organization’s first ever symposium, to be held in Houston on September 21st and 22nd. The goal of the symposium is to both connect up-and-coming industry workers with established professionals, as well as to further the expertise of industry young professionals with a series of courses and workshops. To learn more about this event and to register, visit their event website.
PEX Pipe Assists Construction in Reaching New Highs
The massive Wilshire Grand Center in Los Angeles recently opened as the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, standing at 1100 feet above the ground. Naturally, such a building needs a good strong base to stand on. Fortunately, the base is exceptionally sturdy, with assistance from PEX piping. The 18-foot concrete base is embedded with PEX pipe, which was used to help regulate the temperature of the slab during the curing process. The PEX piping performed perfectly during a marathon 30 hour session of pouring concrete.
Click for More Info
August 2, 2017
Glass Transition Temperature, Tg - by Rich Geoffroy
So what is the Glass Transition Temperature, Tg?
We’ll often hear someone talking about the Glass Transition Temperature (Tg) of a polymer, but so what? What does it mean, and why should I care about it?
The glass transition temperature is a function of chain flexibility. The glass transition occurs when there is enough vibrational (thermal) energy in the system to create sufficient free-volume to permit sequences of 6-10 main-chain carbons to move together as a unit. At this point, the mechanical behavior of the polymer changes from rigid and brittle to tough and leathery --- the behavior we define as “plastic behavior”. Actually, the glass transition temperature is more important in plastics applications than is the melting point, because it tells us a lot about how the polymer behaves under ambient conditions. The melting temperature is often referred to as the “first-order transition” --- that’s where the polymer changes state from solid to liquid. Technically, only crystalline polymers have a true melting point; that’s the temperature at which the crystallites melt and the total mass of plastic becomes amorphous. Amorphous polymers do not have a true melting point, however, they do have a first-order transition where their mechanical behavior transitions from a rubbery nature to viscous rubbery flow.
All polymers have some temperature at which their physical properties are rigid and glassy, similar to crystal polystyrene (Tg = 100°C). Take polypropylene (Tg = 0°C) down to -40°C and try to break it, you’ll see what I mean. In its glassy state, the mechanical behavior of the polymer is relatively stable. The material is very hard and brittle, and the properties don’t change significantly with temperature --- modulus remains high and impact strength is almost nil. However, as the temperature rises, there will be a point where the behavior of the polymer will change fairly rapidly from glassy to a very tough and leathery behavior. This change in behavior is evidenced by a sharp decline in modulus (stiffness), or increase in impact strength as the ambient temperature is increased. This region is termed the glass transition region. The temperature at the midpoint of the transition from glassy to rubbery, the glass transition region, is defined as the glass transition temperature, Tg.
If the ambient temperature is elevated further, the material behavior becomes similar to a rubber. In this region, called the rubbery plateau, the low modulus and high impact strength again become less significantly affected by temperature. However, at some point the material becomes so soft that it will flow under very low pressure, this is the final transition to viscous rubbery flow. This is considered the “melting” temperature of the polymer, or the first-order transition temperature.
So what does all of this mean? Basically if a polymer’s glass transition temperature is well above (say, 50°C above) ambient room temperature, the material will behave like a brittle glassy polymer --- it’ll be stiff with relatively low impact resistance. Conversely, if the Tg is well below room temperature, the material is what is commonly termed a rubber or elastomer --- soft and easily stretched; and those materials whose Tg is reasonably close to the ambient temperature will exhibit plastic material behavior --- strong and tough with good impact resistance.
In applications that can experience temperature extremes, it is important to know what the potential exposure temperatures are and how they will affect the mechanical behavior of the material. In the earlier example of polypropylene, a tough plastic in room-temperature applications, we saw that it turns glassy and brittle at low temperatures, while at elevated temperatures, the material becomes soft and easily deformed under low loads --- rubber-like. This change in properties is simply the effect of temperature on the mechanical behavior of the material as it proceeds from well below its Tg, through its glass transition and into the rubbery plateau. At even higher temperatures, the crystallites will melt and the material will flow under moderate pressure --- the transition which occurs in the plasticating unit --- and allows us to fabricate parts from a material which we call PLASTIC.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
August 1, 2017
Young Pipeline Professionals Hosting Symposium
Young Pipeline Professionals U.S.A., an organization dedicated to assisting those pipe industry workers age 35 and under through networking and career advancement, announced the organization’s first ever symposium, to be held in Houston on September 21st and 22nd. The goal of the symposium is to both connect up-and-coming industry workers with established professionals, as well as to further the expertise of industry young professionals with a series of courses and workshops. To learn more about this event and to register, visit their event website.
© Copyright Bryan Hauger Consulting, Inc., 2017. All rights reserved.
© Copyright Bryan Hauger Consulting Inc. 2014-2024 All rights reserved.