Summary

Different types of roofing materials, either locally manufactured or imported, are used extensively with their inherent draw backs. Clay roofing is believed to be the safest and most durable roofing material among the common roofing materials in Sri Lanka namely asbestos, plastic and metal. However, asbestos is the widely-used roofing material due to economic advantage and also easiness of installation than other roofing materials. In today’s situation, it has been found that the scientifically proven health risks like respiratory problems and lung cancers are associated with asbestos. The government of Sri Lanka has taken initial steps to ban the use of asbestos as a roofing material. Therefore, it is a timely needed to introduce economically advantage new roofing material to the market.

Polymer blending is a current trend which is used to develop technically advanced new materials starting from commonly available polymers. Polymer blending is a cost-effective method than synthesizing of a new polymer and it possesses a combination of excellent physicochemical properties of parent materials like light weight, high toughness and durability, extended the service temperature range, enhance the chemical, fire, weather resistance properties etc. Polymer blending is also the better way of recycling waste polymers.

As the world’s tenth largest rubber producing country, Sri Lanka produces about 98,600 metric tons of natural rubber annually in 2014. But about 16,300 metric tons are exported in raw form without value addition. Therefore, it is a good opportunity to give a value addition to raw rubber by using NR for newer applications. Polyethylene is available in local market in large quantities. It may be a solution for the waste polyethylene, if waste polyethylene can be used as a raw material in producing roofing material.

Development of a roofing material from NR and PE will be highly beneficial to Sri Lanka, to give a value-addition to raw rubber exports, to find an alternative cost competitive roofing material, and to introduce thermoplastic vulcanizates (TVP) technology to rubber industry in Sri Lanka.

A laboratory scale twin screw extruder was purchased to the Polymer Processing Laboratory of the Chemical and Process Engineering Department in University of Moratuwa under this project. Sample preparation was started and required experimental procedures are caring on.

Objectives

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Major Equipment Facilitated by Grant

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