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OAR Box 1413 

Prepped by Ollie Stewart 

Document Number: 

35) 11-1-35 

Docket Number: 

A-94-52 

Printed 7/9/2008 3:11:22 PM Sheet 35 of 114 
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 Engineering &. AAanufacturing Solutions for Industry 

A-94-52 

September/October 1995 TECHNOLOGY 

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COMPOSITES '95 SHOW PREVIEW 
MULTIPLE 

sf^ By Donna K. Dawson, Senior Editor 

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CAST POLYMERS CAPTURE 

SOPHISTICATED MARKETS 

Volume, variety and technology give this business prestige in a b 

environment, from bathrooms to bridges. 

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o experience the benefits of cast polymer engineering, just throw a bowling 

ball, sew on a button, repair your 

auto body, shave or cook. You can even 

take the family to see the Golden Gate 

Bridge. The ball, the button, repair putty, 

vanity and kitchen counter tops are probably made of cast polymer composites. 

The approach to the Golden Gate Bridge Is 

a form of cast polymer engineering called 

polymer concrete. 

' Cast polymer is a non-reinforced composite that combines polymers, fillers and 

additives to meet' speciflc^appllcatlon 

requirements. Fillers account for up to 90 

percent of the material system. After the 

material is catalyzed, it polymerizes and 

becomes rigid. 

Figure 1 summarizes typical cast polymer products, processes and materials. 

Methyl methaayiate acrylic (MMA) and 

unsaturated polyesters resins (UPR)— 

A AIR DOCKET 

both orthophthalic;arid lsophthallc-^-dominate'the'gel^coatoi cultured'maible and 

_»Ud suifacwmarkets." 

Orthopolyester and polyurethane are 

commonly used for decorative castings 

and flexible moldings. Polyester, epoxy 

and vinyl ester are the predominant 

matrix resins in precast polymer concrete 

for products such as utility vault doors 

and electrolytic mining cells. They are 

also used in field applications such 

Summary of Cast Polymer Products, Processes & Materials 

PRODUCT CATEGORY* TYPE OF , 

PROCESS/PRODUCT 

Cast polymer surfaces Gel-coated 

Cast polymer surfaces Solid (not gel-coated) 

MOST COMMON RESINS TYPICAL FILLERS 

Body fillers 

Furniture parts, 

statues & figurines 

Bowling balls 

Buttons 

Mine bolt anchors 

Polymer concrete 

Polymer concrete 

Spreadable fillers (putty) 

Spray fillers 

Flexible 

Rigid 

Highly filled inner casting 

Gear outer shell 

Centrifugal casting 

Cell casting 

Rod casting 

Unique on-site casting 

Pre-cast 

Reid applications 

Orthophthalic UPR 

MAAA acrylic, 

Isophthalic UPR 

Orthophthalic UPR 

Modified orthophthalic UPR 

Orthophthalic UPR 

Casting urethanes 

Orthophthalic UPR 

Isophthalic UPR or spedalty 

Orthophthalic UPR 

same 

same 

Orthophthalic UPR 

Caldum carbonate (CaCO.) 

Aluminuna trihydrate (ATH) 

Acrylic or UPR granules 

Microspheres 

ATH 

Talcs and glass beads or 

other microspheres 

CaCO_ 

Glass bead microspheres 

Glass beads or other 

strong microspheres 

Not filled 

urethanes 

Pearlescent fillers/pigments 

same 

same 

Talcs and spedal fillers 

and additives 

Orthophthalic UPR 

Epoxy 

vinyfester 

Also AAMA acrylic and polyurethane 

Sand, fly ash and gravel 

Isophthalic UPR Sand, fly ash and gravel 

PRODUCT APPLICATIONS & NOTES 

Kitchen countertops. shower panels, tubs, 

sinks, vanity tops, whirlpool spas. 

Vertical and horizontal surfaces for kitchen 

and bath products, commercial work • 

surfaces, office furniture. Pens, jewelry, art 

specialities, decorative architecture. 

Metal finishing fillers for auto body repair 

and for filling rough cast metal surfaces. 

Flexible mouldings for building industry, 

frames, headboards, signage, spedalty 

decorative casting. 

Bowling balls 

Men's shirt buttons 

Buttons; spedal shapes, colors 

Women's dress buttons 

Rebar anchors in mine shafts 

Curbs, drains, gutters, bamers 

Utility doors/covers 

Mining cells 

Highway overlays, repladng 

cement concrete 

Figure 1. Cast polymer engineering combines polymers, fillers and additives as composites to meet application requirements from kitchen counters to highway overlays. 

COMPOSITE S TECHNOLOGY SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1995 1 7 

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as the Golden Gate Bridge approach. 

Shipments of non-reinforced composites reached 849.9 million pounds in 1994. 

That's 22 percent of the total U.S. composites shipments for the year—just below the 

945.6 million pounds shipped for transportation, which primarily uses sheet 

molding compounds. Transportation is the 

largest reinforced composite market Nonreinforced composites are expected to continue growing throughout the 90s. 

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS 

Gel-coated cultured marble and densifled 

(solid) surfaces are the heart of the cast 

polymer industry and account for half the 

total market A healthy housing market 

means strong growth in this sector. 

The Intemational Cast Polymer 

Association (ICPA) (Arlington, Va.) represents gel-coat and solid-surface material 

product manufacturers. About 140 ICPA 

member companies make gel-coated 

products and 60 make solid surfacing. 

Some are major manufacturers, but most 

are small businesses 

with 20 to 30 

employees. 

Figure 2. Cultured marble bathroom with Roman columns. Still the 

largest application for cast polyester resin, cultured marble has a gelcoated surface backed by casting resin chemically bonded with marble, onyx or granite "dust" (Source: El Dorado Mig.) 

ICPA says hundreds of smaller cast 

polymer casters nationwide service local 

areas. 

Entrepreneurs can start a small casting outfit with low capital investment using 

non-automated equipment and manual 

operations. However, growth has stimulated a need for automation, and major 

equipment suppliers are responding. 

Agglomerated Stone Canada Inc. 

(Concord, Ontario) specializes in automated casting machines manufactured in 

Canada and Italy. They recently introduced a new CNC grinder with multiple 

heads. Remote personal computer operators can monitor and control the process 

using man-machine interface software. 

The company also offers turn-key services 

from engineering to installation, training 

and technology transfer. ADM North 

America (Springfield, Va) supplies a line of 

semi-automated and automated casting 

machines and equipment The ADM Logo 

casting machine offers a frequency 

conversion option with analog control. 

This allows the process to be computer 

controlled. ADM manufactures 

the machines ln Bruggen, 

Germany. 

Another company, Gisco 

Technology Ltd. (Willowbrook, 01.), manufactures 

custom automated casting 

equipment in the United 

States. Gisco continuous 

casting machines automatically feed process information to a computer for operator monitoring and evaluation. -

Cast polymer pioneer 

Gruber Systems Inc. 

(Valencia, Calif.) manufactures batch mixing processes, molds, vacuum mixers, 

blenders, conveyors, ovens 

and whirlpool jetting systems. In addition, Gruber 

offers engineering services, 

custom design, and training, and has installed turnkey cast polymer facilities 

worldwide. 

Many casters say robotic 

spray systems and automated fabrication equipment are the next technology challenge. 

Most solid surface product fabrication 

now relies on wood carpentry technology 

and manual equipment Secondary fabrication operations aren't feasible for gelcoated products because routing or cutting ruins the protective surface. 

GEL-COATED SURFACES 

Cast polymer marble, onyx and granite are 

popular for kitchen countertops, shower 

panels, tubs, sinks, vanity tops and 

whirlpool spas (Figure 2). A homey influence based on the use and look of these 

products has tended to give the cast polymer industry a food-oriented language. 

Manufacturers speak ofa resin matrix "the 

consistency of pancake batter" and compare^the process to baking a cake. 

Manufacturing begins with a gel-coat 

sprayup into an open mold. A clear gel 

coat allows the pattern and color to show 

through the protective coating. Colorant is 

added to the gel coat resin for solid surface colors. When the gel coat dries to a 

tacky consistency, the resin matrix is 

mixed with filler, additives and color pigment Color veining paste can be added to 

simulate quarried marble. 

• • v0 « * . 

ippsGast polymer marble is typically manufactured by mixing liquid UPR resin with 

calcium carbonate (CaCOs) fliler. A chemical compound or natural CaCCh ground 

into particulate may serve as fliler. CaCOa 

is the core ingredient of real marble. When 

cured, this produces a hard piece of marble "dust" held together by a plastic resin. 

The primary fliler in cast polymer onyx 

is alumina trihydrate (ATH). Karen 

Shields, marketing communications 

director for Huber Engineered Minerals 

(Noreross, Ga.) says ATH ls ideal for onyx 

cast polymer since it offers the same 

refractive index as the polyester polymer. 

She adds that it also "enhances the 

appearance of depth and translucence of 

the onyx." Huber supplies ATH and granite textured pigments to the cast polymer 

industry. 

Mineral granite or a synthetic fliler 

that simulates granite is used for a 

granite appearance. Synthetics include 

acrylic and thermoset resins that are 

catalyzed, cast and ground Into particulate. Producers can also premix the syn18 COMPOSITES TECHNOLOGY SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1995 

3 
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thetlcs with ATH, CaCOa or other fillers 

(such as microspheres) and prepigment 

the product in a variety of colors, 

"Arizona Cultured'Stone Products 

(Tucson, Ariz.) supplies granite and onyx 

fillers including a lightweight microsphere 

called Featherlite that cuts product weight 

in half. It's especially good for bathtubs 

and other heavy products," says Jim 

Novak, president "Extremely light hollow 

microspheres add strength and bulk without adding weight" The company also 

manufactures Dura Stone solid surface 

products. 

Taking a slightly different approach, 

American Marble (Birmingham, Ala.) uses 

Dicaperl glass beads by Grefco, Inc. 

fTorrance, Calif.) to make lighter-weight 

yet stronger parts. "By using a hollow 

glass sphere, we reduce warping and 

shrinkage during processing," says Bill 

Harris, president of American Marble. "We 

cut the weight of the part by about onethird, making it easier for the installer to 

handle." He says the added strength also 

reduces cracks and breaks. Most of its 

castings are based on Isopolyester 

neopentyl glycol (NPG) gel coat and 

orthopofyester resin matrix, both supplied 

by Cook Composites & Polymers (Kansas 

City, Mo.). The company also makes natural pigments in 60 colors, vhich it also 

supplies to other manufacturers. 

For a top surface granite look, particulates are combined with clear gel coat and 

sprayed into the mold. This requires dedicated spray guns, however, since particulates may foul lines, creating cleanup 

problems and downtime. Special spray 

gun attachments can solve this problem 

by applying dry and liquid materials separately without pre-mixing. For example, 

a new dry material system developed by 

United Granules (Mt Bethel, Pa.) adds diy 

materials such as granules, flakes, 

microspheres and other particulates from 

a hopper attachment directly Into the gel 

coat spray. _ ....,^-,«...,Wv.i..,->..:.-

Afte*»ih©ma§& is catalyzed and cast 

onto the mold, it's usually vibrated to 

allow air bubbles to escape. "If you imagine combining a liquid that is the consistency of syrup [the resin system] with a 

diy material that is the consistency of 

baby powder, you will understand why a 

lot of air Is present In the mix." says Kevin 

Latham, technical manager for General 

Marble (Iincolnton, N.C). GM makes gelcoated cast polymer products for retail 

home centers nationwide. 

FoUowing :;g"4bratlon, the product 

enters "exotherm" —the matrix's chemical 

reaction generates its own heat—resulting 

in a final cured state. Most manufacturers 

don't post-cure gel-coated products, but 

they sometimes use a heated oven to 

accelerate cure. Finally, the gel coat finish 

is buffed and polished. .^ 

SOLID SURFACES 

Air voids may be tolerated In gel-coated 

products, but non-porous casting is critical in densified surfaces that have no 

protective gel coat. 

Gel coated product 

density is typically 

1.2 to 1.5 specific 

gravity, compared to 

a solid surfacing 

density of 1.5 to 1.8 

specific gravity (50 

percent to 80 percent heavier than 

water at 1.0 specific 

gravity). For this reason, the resin matrix 

for*5 solid*" surface 

casting te usually 

blended with a vacuum mixer, and parts 

are cured under vacuum to remove trapped air. Densified 

products are oven cured (typically two 

hours at 180°F) to avoid post-mold 

shrinkage. 

Densified (solid surface) products call 

for a high-quality resin matrix that offers 

an aesthetic finish and color stability. It 

must also be moisture-, stain- and ultraviolet-yellowing resistant, and provide 

mechanical strength and thermal shock 

characteristics. Daryl Francis, national 

sales manager for the Silmar Resins 

Division of Interplastic Corp. (Fort Wright, 

Ky.) say his company recommends polyester resins based on NPG and isophthalic acid. "Modification by MMA acrylic can 

improve UV and stain resistance. While 

these compositions are more expensive 

than orthophthalic resins, they achieve 

the higher performance levels required by 

solid surface products in aesthetic-critical 

applications," he explains. 

DuPont Corp. (Wilmington. Del.) originated solid surface cast polymer with 

Corian in the late 1960s (Figure 3). 

According to Tony Rala, commercial technology manager, Corian is about 40 percent'MMA .pqlymerjand ,60. perceht»hifihgrade ATH,;; with small amounts.. of bigments. initiators,and catalysts. 

"During the manufacturing process, 

all chemicals are fully reacted," Raia says. 

This results ln a very stable and environmentally safe material." In other words, 

products won't outgas or leach any chemicals into air, water or food. 

Figure 3. Solid surface products are densified, non-porous castings with no 

gel coat Ihey can be cut shaped and seamlessly joined. (Source: DuPont 

Corian) 

While kitchen and bath products are 

still the largest Corian market the commercial sector is growing fast. "As architects and specifiers become more knowledgeable about the long-term economics 

of solid surface, they are more inclined to 

specify it in lieu of laminates and other 

more traditional materials." Raia says. 

New applications include sculpture, furniture, office and plant work surfaces, as 

well as art specialties such as writing 

instruments, jewelry and lighting fixtures. 

An; Important difference betweCTl*^e.lcoated and solid surfaces ts that solid stirface'castings can he? simd^rseamliessly 

joined, cut for^inlays and even routed to a 

beveled; bull nose or wateffall"edge. 

Daniel lippert president of lippert Corp. 

(Menomonee Falls, Wis.) and current 

COMPOSITES TECHNOLOGY SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1995 10 

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P.6 

Figure 4. Highway overlay polymer concrete is ready for traffic in three 

hours. View shows application by automated pre-mix equipment train. 

(Source: Reichhold Chemicals) 

replaces labor-intensive filling, priming 

and sanding. They 

also make specialty 

fillers with fiberglass 

strands to provide 

additional body and 

a sprayable polyester 

for solid surfacing. 

POLYMER 

CONCRETE 

president ofthe ICPA, sees this as a major 

advantage. 

"A beautiful, seamless installation can 

be created with this technology," he says. 

"Any other surfacing has visible seams." 

In addition, color inlays can be changed 

years after installation to match new 

decors. lippert custom manufactures gelcoated cast polymer products in marble, 

onyx, granite and solid pattems, as well 

as Prism solid surface products. The company makes also its own fiberglass molds. 

BODY FILLERS 

Filled polymer metal finishing fillers claim 

about 25 percent of the cast polymer market Auto body putty Is typically a polyester resin filled with microspheres such 

as glass beads. The filled resin and 

hardener are usually mixed just before 

application. Fibre Glass-Evercoat Co. 

(Cincinnati) produces a line of auto body 

putties and other metal fillers such as 

coating that can be sprayed onto cast iron 

machine tools and other metals. This 

Figure 5. Casting machine tool base with hon-shrlnk polyester 

allows inserts to be cast in place without causing internal 

stress or fracture (Souree: Reichhold Chemicals). 

Polymerconcrete pre-cast products 

and field applications make up about 5 

percent of the total cast polymer market 

In polymer concrete; polymer replaces 

Portland cement (Figure 4). Again, unsaturated polyester is the most typical matrix 

but epoxy, MMA and polyurethane are 

also used. Sand, fly ash and gravel are 

fillers. A typical formulation may include 

stone aggregate, fine sand, granite chips, 

resin, pigment and additives. The stone 

aggregate or gravel varies by location. 

California contractors usually use 

granite and beach sand as fillers for field 

applications, according to Al Klail, president of Kwlck Bond Polymers and 

Construction (San Ramon, Calif.). Mail 

says polymer concrete is the "best highway 

overlay system in the United States by far" 

for wear resistance, protecting steel from 

salt ions, and returning highways to service quickly. 

Klail says Califomia has installed 

about 50 highway overlays in climates 

ranging from diy, hot desert to the Sierra 

Mountains' snow and Ice. One such field 

Installation ls the southern 

approach to San Francisco's 

Golden Gate Bridge. Highway 

engineers used a fast-curing 

polymer concrete for a new surface overlay. Its composition is 

89 percent filler and J 1 percent 

resin matrix based on 

Reichhold's Polylite 32-043 

unsaturated isopolyester. The 

240,000 sq ft polymer concrete 

formulation was completely 

cured and ready for traffic 

In three hours. Conventional 

Portland cement concrete takes 

about two weeks. 

Klail cautions that because 

delays are common ln infrastructure construction, resin must have a long shelf life. 

"Reichhold has developed a resin that has 

enough shelf life to be contractor/userfriendly—and has the right properties and 

promoters to allow adjustments in the fleld 

for changing weather conditions," Klail says. 

BALLS, BUTTONS AND BOLTS 

The remaining 20 percent of the market is 

sharedby. furniture parts,-statues and figurines,^bowlings balls;^^fbuttohsi'and^mlne 

bolt anchors.- Mine bolt anchors are cast ln 

place to quickly anchor steel rebar ln mine 

shafts, according to Jim Maass, director of 

marketing for Reichhold Chemicals Inc. 

(Research Triangle Park, N.C). Rebar stabilizes the shaft roofs and walls. 

Holes are drilled two or three feet deep 

into the surrounding rock and casting 

material tubes resembling two halves of a 

hot dog separated longitudinally by a 

membrane are inserted. Half the tube is 

resin matrix and die other half is catalyst 

paste. Rebar is pushed down the middle of 

die polymer tube and rotated, mixing the 

resin and catalyst The casting gels, and 

cure occurs in about 30 seconds. The 

technique ls also being considered for 

infrastructure construction. 

EXPECT CONTINUING GROWTH 

Expect new developments in materials, 

technology and automated equipment systems to push this non-reinforced composites sector Into higher-volume markets. An 

example of this potential is a flllable tooling 

resin system developed by Reichhold using 

new non-shrink technology (Figure 5). 

Maass says polyester-based systems traditionally demonstrate comparatively high 

shrinkage—about 2 percent to 7 percent 

linear. "We are now able to formulate nonshrinking, room temperature, polyesterbased polymer concrete systems at far 

lower cost than epoxy systems." This could 

open major markets to polymer concrete 

formerly dominated by cast iron or other 

metal castings. Qt 

Please circle the appropriate number 

on the reader service card for more information on the foUowing: resins/gelcoats, 

200; Jitters. 201; equipment. 202. 

20 COMPOSITES TECHNOLOGY SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1995 

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