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  • Plastics that are as strong as Steels

    CE Designer

    Member

    Updated: Oct 26, 2024
    Views: 2.0K
    I believe there is a great opportunity to replace steel with plastics in the industry. I am current looking for opportunities in the petrochemical industry where most components are made from steel. Plastics can be easily processed more easily that steel and this is what I am looking to capitalize on.
    What I would like to know is if there is a plastics or plastics out there that can match or even surpass the strength of ductile steel?
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Replies

  • Ramani Aswath

    Member • Nov 29, 2012

    Plastics may not fit the bill. Nearest may be PEEK. Tensile Strength about 100 MPa against 280 for carbon steel.
    #-Link-Snipped-#

    Carbon fibre reinforced composites cam match metals. Doubt if they stand the complex organics of petroleum products at elevated temperatures.
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  • pratap singh, upendra

    Member • Nov 29, 2012

    with reference to above I think polymers would be a better choice not only they can be made readily available but also because they are lot easier to tame as compared to steel while still serving the purpose.

    fibers seems to be a great choice but make sure the fibers designs are economically viable(most of the time you will find fibers to be lot expensive). So engaging fibers may result in high initial investment.

    hope it helps,

    regards,
    proffy
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  • CE Designer

    Member • Nov 30, 2012

    Yes I will look into fiber reinforced polymers and cost will be a big deciding factor if not the ultimate.
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  • Jeffrey Arulraj

    Member • Nov 30, 2012

    FRP's are still to be popular I am not aware of cheap versions So if you get hands on cheap FRP source then do notify buddy
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  • Ramani Aswath

    Member • Dec 1, 2012

    The problem is still the compatibility of the polymer matrix with the fluid in contact at all conditions of use. Carbon-carbon composites may work. Very expensive.
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  • CE Designer

    Member • Dec 5, 2012

    I am looking into High Density Polyethylene. They are used as underground domestic water lines in the U.S. Thats a pretty good application. They can last longer and have better flow characteristics. Which means your pumps will do less work, which means you will use less power.
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  • Ramani Aswath

    Member • Dec 5, 2012

    HDPE is excellent for that except that it softens at a fairly low temperature and does not do well above 60C.
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  • Satyendra maurya

    Member • Nov 13, 2013

    now in mordern time there are a lot plastics that have better properties than steel in many application & they are replacing metals day by day....
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  • Al-Otaiby

    Member • Nov 18, 2013

    Nowadays carbon fiber is manufactured in a way that replaces steel in certain places. as tensile strength and shear strength way more than steel. I don't know about the impact strength! on the otherhand the weight is way less than steel. Thats why its mostly used in racing cars and recently even the driveshaft if made of it.
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