Architecture：Introduction to Organic Construction Materials.pdfVIP

531 13 Introduction to Organic Construction Materials 1.0 INTRODUCTION There are many types of organic-based materials used in construc- tion, such as adhesives, sealants, paints and coatings, asphalts, and roof covering materials. Different types of polymers constitute such materials. The behavior of these materials during fabrication and exposure to natural elements may be investigated by various physico-chemical techniques. In recent years, thermoanalytical techniques have been used with some success for such studies. In this chapter, various types of organic-based materials and polymers that are used in the construction industry are discussed. Subsequent chapters present information on the application of thermal techniques for the investigation of these materials. Macromolecules are very large molecules with atoms linked to- gether by covalent bonds. They may be linear chains, branched, or three- dimensional networks.[1] Some natural macromolecules, such as those present in biological construction materials, have a very complex structure. 531 532 Chapter 13 - Organic Construction Materials However, many synthetic macromolecules have a relatively simple struc- ture being formed by a chemical process called polymerization, which consists in joining together repeating (poly ) small units (mers) to form a macromolecule called a polymer. Polymers with long linear chains and a high degree of symmetry are called linear (e.g., thermoplastics), and those with side branches are called branched polymers. If the macromolecules are highly interconnected through chemical cross-linking of linear polymers by means of chemical reactions, they become a three-dimensional network (e.g., thermosets). They are, ther