The function of any outdoor equipment or tools is something that, in Australia, is invariably tied to their ability to withstand the elements. This country is a land of extremes, particularly in the area of heat and exposure to sunlight, and anything that exists outdoors must be created to handle a lot of it.
Compared to steel or wood, plastic is not typically known for being capable of withstanding the onslaught of sunlight and UV rays. But this is misguided. When created properly, plastic materials have the ability to UV stable. The key element is related to their construction – certain plastics have been built to be fully UV stable, and will not break down in sunlight. Acrylic, PVDF, and PTFE plastics are inherently UV stable. This is due to additives inserted in to the mix during construction.
Weathering of plastics is related to the protection of the base polymer. As poly is affected by sunlight, its ability to stretch begins to decline, and it will begin to become brittle. To gauge the ability of a plastic to resist degradation, a test, known as the Retained Elongation test, is called in to use.
For example, a plastic which requires 8000 hours in the sun, in order to drop to 50% of the elongation value, has a ‘UV8’ level of protection. However, some of the plastics used on plastic water tanks – such as those sold by the vaunted Tank Management Services – can last even longer. This technology continues to be refined, but it is only taking our equipment further and further, and all of the benefits of these plastic tanks – impervious to rust, and rot – can now be extended to their ability to withstand UV.