Plaster Of Paris

Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar
to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat
and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting, and can be easily
manipulated with metal tools or evensandpaper. These characteristics make plaster suitable for a
finishing, rather than a load-bearing material.
The term plaster can refer to gypsum plaster (also known as plaster of Paris), lime plaster, or cement
plaster.[1]

Types [edit source | edit beta]

Gypsum plaster (plaster of Paris)[edit source | edit beta]
Gypsum plaster, or plaster of Paris, is produced by heating gypsum to about 300 F (150 C):[2]
2CaSO4H2O + Heat 2CaSO4H2O + 3H2O (released as steam).
When the dry plaster powder is mixed with water, it re-forms into gypsum. The setting of unmodified
plaster starts about 10 minutes after mixing and is complete in about 45 minutes; but not fully set for
72 hours.[3] If plaster or gypsum is heated above 392F (200C),anhydrite is formed, which will also
re-form as gypsum if mixed with water.[4]
A large gypsum deposit at Montmartre in Paris led "calcined gypsum" (roasted gypsum or gypsum
plaster) to be commonly known as "plaster of Paris".[5]
Plasterers often use gypsum to simulate the appearance of surfaces of wood, stone, or metal, on
movie and theatrical sets for example. Nowadays, theatrical plasterers often use
expanded polystyrene, although the job title remains unchanged.
Plaster of Paris can be used to impregnate gauze bandages to make a sculpting material
called modroc. It is used similarly to clay, as it is easily shaped when wet, yet sets into a resilient and
lightweight structure. This is the material that was (and sometimes still is) used to make classic

plaster orthopedic casts to protect limbs with broken bones, the medical use having been partly
inspired by the artistic use (see orthopedic cast). Set modroc is an early example of a composite
material.

Technical details [edit source | edit beta]

Depending on the temperature and duration of the heating process, gypsum converts to the hemihydrate
or an anhydrous form. Two polymorphs are known of the hemihydrates. The anhydrous calcium sulfate
occurs in three forms, called anhydrite I, II, and III. Each form hydrates differently. The hemihydrate
converts to the dehydrate. The anhydrite III converted via the hemihydrates, whereas anhydrite II is
converted directly into dehydrate without forming intermediates. [1]

Lime plaster [edit source | edit beta]

Main article: Lime plaster
Lime plaster is a mixture of calcium hydroxide and sand (or other inert fillers). Carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere causes the plaster to set by transforming the calcium hydroxide into calcium carbonate
(limestone). Whitewash is based on the same chemistry.
To make lime plaster, limestone (calcium carbonate) is heated to produce quicklime (calcium oxide).
Water is then added to produce slaked (calcium hydroxide), which is sold as wet putty or a white powder.
Additional water is added to form a paste prior to use. The paste may be stored in air-tight containers.
Once exposed to the atmosphere, the calcium hydroxide turns back into calcium carbonate, causing the
plaster to set.
Lime plaster was a common building material for wall surfaces in a process known as lath and plaster,
whereby a series of wooden strips on a studwork frame was covered with a semi-dry plaster that
hardened into a surface. The plaster used in most lath and plaster construction was mainly lime plaster,
with a cure time of about a month. To stabilize the lime plaster during curing, small amounts of plaster of
Paris were incorporated into the mix. Because plaster of Paris sets quickly, "retardants" were used to slow
setting time enough to allow workers to mix large working quantities of lime putty plaster. A modern form
of this method uses expanded metal mesh over wood or metal structures, which allows a great freedom
of design as it is adaptable to both simple and compound curves. Today this building method has been
partly replaced with drywall, also composed mostly of gypsum plaster. In both these methods a primary
advantage of the material is that it is resistant to a fire within a room and so can assist in reducing or
eliminating structural damage or destruction provided the fire is promptly extinguished.
Lime plaster is used for frescoes, where pigments, diluted in water, are applied to the still wet plaster.
USA and Iran are the main plaster producers in the world.

Cement plaster [edit source | edit beta]

See also: Cement render
Cement plaster is a mixture of suitable plaster, sand, Portland cement and water which is normally
applied to masonry interiors and exteriors to achieve a smooth surface. Interior surfaces sometimes
receive a final layer of gypsum plaster. Walls constructed with stock bricks are normally plastered
while face brick walls are not plastered. Various cement-based plasters are also used as proprietary
spray fireproofing products. These usually use vermiculite as lightweight aggregate. Heavy versions of

such plasters are also in use for exterior fireproofing, to protect LPG vessels, pipe bridges and vessel
skirts.

Uses [edit source | edit beta]

In architecture
Plaster may also be used to create complex detailing for use in room interiors. These may be geometric
(simulating wood or stone) or naturalistic (simulating leaves, vines, and flowers) these are also often used
to simulate wood or stone detailing found in more substantial buildings.

In art [edit source | edit beta]

See also: Plaster cast
Many of the greatest mural paintings in Europe, like Michelangelo's ceiling are executed in fresco,
meaning they are painted on a thin layer of wet plaster, called inton(in fact the general term for plaster in
Italian); the pigments sink into this layer so that the plaster itself becomes the medium holding them,
which accounts for the excellent durability of fresco. Additional work may be added a secco on top of the
dry plaster, though this is generally less durable.
Plaster may be cast directly into a damp clay mold. In creating this piece molds (molds designed for
making multiple copies) or waste molds (for single use) would be made of plaster. This "negative" image,
if properly designed, may be used to produce clay productions, which when fired in a kiln become terra
cotta building decorations, or these may be used to create cast concrete sculptures. If a plaster positive
was desired this would be constructed or cast to form a durable image artwork. As a model for
stonecutters this would be sufficient. If intended for producing a bronze casting the plaster positive could
be further worked to produce smooth surfaces. An advantage of this plaster image is that it is relatively
cheap; should a patron approve of the durable image and be willing to bear further expense, subsequent
molds could be made for the creation of a wax image to be used in lost wax casting, a far more expensive
process. In lieu of producing a bronze image suitable for outdoor use the plaster image may be painted to
resemble a metal image; such sculptures are suitable only for presentation in a weather-protected
environment.
Plaster expands while hardening, and then contracts slightly just before hardening completely. This
makes plaster excellent for use in molds, and it is often used as an artistic material for casting. Plaster is
also commonly spread over an armature (form), usually made of wire, mesh or other materials, a process
raised details. For these processes, limestone or acrylic based plaster may be employed. [Citation needed]

In medicine [edit source | edit beta]

Plaster is widely used as a support for broken noses; a bandage impregnated with plaster is moistened
and then wrapped around the damaged limb, setting into a close-fitting yet easily removed tube, known as
an orthopedic cast.
Plaster is also used within radiotherapy when making immobilization casts for patients. Plaster bandages
are used when constructing an impression of the patients head and neck, and liquid plaster is used to fill
the impression and produce a plaster bust. Perspex is then vacuum formed over this bust creating an
immobilization shell. [Citation needed]
In dentistry, plaster is used for mounting casts or models of oral tissues. These diagnostic and working
models are usually made from dental stone, a stronger, harder and denser derivative of plaster which is
manufactured from gypsum under pressure. Plaster is also used to invest or flask wax dentures, the wax
being subsequently removed and replaced with the final denture base material which is cured in the
plaster mold.[citation needed]
In orthotics and prosthetics, plaster bandages traditionally where used to create impressions of the
patients limb (or residuum). This negative impression was then, itself, filled with plaster of paris, to create
a positive model of the limb and used in fabricating the final medical device.
In addition, dentures (false teeth) are made by first taking a dental impression using a soft, pliable
material that can be removed from around the teeth and gums without loss of fidelity and using the
impression to creating a wax model of the teeth and gums. The model is used to create a plaster mold
(which is heated so the wax melts and flows out) and the denture materials are injected into the mold.
After a curing period, the mold is opened and the dentures are cleaned up and polished.

In fire protection [edit source | edit beta]

Plasters have been in use in passive fire protection, as fireproofing products, for many decades.
The finished plaster releases water vapor when exposed to flame, acting to slow the spread of the fire, for
as much as an hour or two depending on thickness. It also provides some insulation to retard heat flow
into structural steel elements that would otherwise lose their strength and collapse in a fire. Early versions
of these plasters have used asbestos fibers, which have by now been outlawed in industrialized nations
and have caused significant removal and re-coating work. More modern plasters fall into the following
categories:

fibrous (including mineral wool and glass fiber)

cement mixtures either with mineral wool or with vermiculite

gypsum plasters, leavened with polystyrene beads, as well as chemical expansion agents to
decrease the density of the finished product

One differentiates between interior and exterior fireproofing. Interior products are typically less
substantial, with lower densities and lower cost. Exterior products have to withstand more extreme fire
and other environmental conditions. Exterior products are also more likely to be attractively tooled,
whereas their interior cousins are usually merely sprayed in place. A rough surface is typically forgiven
inside of buildings as dropped ceilings often hide them. Exterior fireproofing plasters are losing ground to
more costly in tumescent and endothermic products, simply on technical merit. Trade jurisdiction on
unionized construction sites in North America remains with the plasterers, regardless of whether the
plaster is decorative in nature or is used in passive fire protection. Cementitious and gypsum based
plasters tend to be endothermic. Fireproofing plasters are closely related to firestop mortars. Most firestop
mortars can be sprayed and tooled very well, due to the fine detail work that is required of fire stopping,
which leads their mix designers to utilize concrete admixtures that enable easier tooling than common
mortars.

In Industry [edit source | edit beta]

It is used in glass making, tanning, bleaching powder making and purification of sugar.

Safety issues
The chemical reaction that occurs when plaster is mixed with water is exothermic in nature and, in large
volumes, can burn the skin. In January 2007, a student sustained third-degree burns after encasing her
hands in a bucket of plaster as part of a school art project. The burns were so severe she
required amputation of both her thumbs and six of her fingers. [6]
Some variations of plaster that contain powdered silica or asbestos may present health hazards if inhaled.
Asbestos is a known irritant when inhaled in powder form can cause cancer, especially in people who
smoke, and inhalation can also cause asbestosis. Inhaled silica can cause silicosis and (in very rare
cases) can encourage the development of cancer. Persons working regularly with plaster containing
these additives should take precautions to avoid inhaling powdered plaster, cured or uncured. (Note that
asbestos is rarely used in modern plaster formulations because of its carcinogenic [7] effects.)