Hello, I'm designing a simple rainwater harvesting device, and it involves a lot of plastic. So I have some questions about the different qualities of plastic on the market. I'm a novice here.
Let me quickly describe the environment in which the plastic should survive.
The rainwater harvesting platform will be permanently located in a mid- ocean environment, somewhere near the equator. It's basically a few square kilometres of plastic film floating on the sea-surface, with tubes sucking in the rainwater into plastic baggies. The platform has to withstand UV- radiation, the salty environment of the water, and must be moderately strong (it must capture rain, and fill itself up with a few centimetres of this fresh water, so it will basically float above sealevel since inflatable tubes push it upward when they suck the water into the baggies, exposing the upper layer of the platform to wind, which can be quite heavy at times). The platform should withstand moderate storms (since it merely floats on the waves, this should be no problem).
So knowing all this, which kind of plastic would be most appropriate, you think?
I've found several commercial polymers (like Hypalon and Hypalon based Neoprene polymers). But they're all very expensive.
The plastic (film) should cost less than US$ 10 per square metre.
I'd be glad to hear your advice!
[Excuse me for my bad English, I'm not a native speaker. I'm french, I hope my American friends don't care! :-) ]Yours, Lou.