Uses and Application of Polybutylene in Various Industries

Polybutylene is a saturated polymer that is used in a number of applications. It is produced by the polymerization of 1-butene and it has a high molecular weight. Polybutylene, also known as PB or PB-1 is a linear, semi-crystalline polymer that has the properties of both conventional polyolefins and technical polymers. Although polybutylene was first created in 1954, the first industrial application of polybutylene was available only 10 years later. When poylbutylene is applied as a reinforced resin, it can be used in place of engineering polymers and materials like rubber and metal.

Uses of PB

Some of the properties of polybutylene include resistance to hydrostatic pressure, flexibility, low creep at high temperature, impact resistance and good wet abrasion resistance. As mentioned before polybutylene can be used in a wide number of industrial applications. Some of these applications include its use in pressure piping, manufacture of water heaters, hot melt additives and flexible packaging.

One of the primary applications of polybutylene is in the manufacture of pressure piping systems. Such flexible pressure piping systems are used for cold and hot drinking water distribution and for district heating networks. Factors such as flexibility, high temperature resistance, low liner thermal expansion, high hydrostatic pressure resistance, resistance to corrosion and calcification and weldability makes PB an ideal material for the manufacture of high pressure piping system. Because of its excellent corrosion and abrasive resistance properties, large diameter PB pipes are used for transporting abrasive fluids. Polybutylene sheets are used for lining chutes and vessels.

Polybutylene is used for manufacturing flexible packaging, particularly peelable easy-to-open packaging. Such type of packaging is typically used in medical packaging and food packaging. Moreover, by adding polybutylene with polypropylene, lower heat sealing temperature can be achieved which helps in maintaining good optical film properties. PB is also widely used in the manufacture of hot melt adhesives. As there are many industrial applications of polybutylene, the market for PB is increasing