Polybutylene | At a Glance

Polybutylene Basic Facts

Polybutylene piping installed in Europe for underfloor heating (early 70's) and district energy (early 80's) are still operating successfully.

• Polybutylene has been widely used in piping and plumbing applications in Europe and Asia for over 40 years and conforms to European standards and homologation/qualification requirements
  (Standards Accreditation - download).
• Polybutylene pipes can be assembled using push-fit and compression fittings and using a variety of welding techniques including socket fusion, electro fusion and butt welding for large diameter pipes.
• Polybutylene pipes used for drinking water and heating pipe systems are corrosion-free.
• Pipework of up to 50mm in diameter is supplied in coiled lengths of up to 500 metres, allowing long pipe runs to be installed without the need for connectors.
• Polybutylene pipe applications installed in Europe for underfloor heating (since the early 1970s) and district energy (since the early 1980s) are still operating successfully.
• No chemicals, including solders, fluxes or greases are required for the installation of Polybutylene piping systems.
• As with all non cross-linked polymers from the Polyolefin family,  Polybutylene (also known as Polybutene-1 and PB-1) is completely recyclable.
  
   

Polybutylene Material

• Polybutylene chemical name: In the past, this polymer has been referred to as polybutene and PB, as well as its chemically correct name, Polybutene-1 (abbr.: PB-1).
• Polybutylene is a member of the polyolefin family of thermoplastic materials which also includes polyethylene and polypropylene.
• The properties of Polybutylene can be tailored by copolymerisation with PE or PP to create random copolymers suitable for special applications in underfloor heating and inner layers of pressure tanks.
• Polybutylene has a density slightly lower than to water of 0.92 gm/cc
• The Polybutylene raw material grades are manufactured in the world's largest polybutene manufacturing plant in The Netherlands. 
  
  
   

Polybutylene Characteristics

• Polybutylene is flexible, strong, resilient and light weight.
• Excellent creep resistance combined with low stiffness makes Polybutylene the technically preferred material for hot and cold water pipes.
• Odourless and tasteless and meets ‘contact with food’ approvals. Ideal for use in drinking water applications.
• Superior thermal and mechanical properties for end-use applications requiring high strength and flexibility over a broad temperature range.
• Highly resistant to solvents and chemicals
• Excellent acoustic qualities and sound dampening with high absorption of “water hammer” and other noises.
  
  
   

Polybutylene Applications

Polybutylene piping systems are a vital part of modern architecture and building technology and are very suitable for applications that need high strength and flexibility over a broad temperature range.

• Pressurised hot and cold water supply systems
• District Energy lines (heating and cooling)
• Radiator connections
• Underfloor heating
• Chilled ceilings and surfaces
• Shipbuilding piping installations
• Pressurised plastic tanks
• Sprinkler systems
• Geothermal systems
• Vacuum systems
• Medicinal gas lines
  
  
   

Polybutylene Manufacturing

• Polybutylene (PB-1) pipes and plumbing fittings can be processed on conventional injection moulding and extruding equipment.
   

Polybutylene in Service

• Polybutylene (PB-1) pipes are completely corrosion-free.
• Polybutylene pipes do not have problems of scale build-up and encrustation in hard water supply areas.
• Polybutylene pipes are resistant to freezing temperatures due to the material's flexibility and elastic properties.
• The low thermal conductivity of PB-1 means that hot water pipes are cooler to the touch than conventional metal pipes with lower condensation providing a safer system.
• Polybutylene piping systems are electrically non-conductive, providing a safer system with minimum earthing requirements.
• Due to its flexibility, Polybutylene pipes can be installed as a conduit 'pipe in pipe' system through concrete floors and walls providing a high level of maintenance security.
  
  
   

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