PolyVinylchloride (PVC)

Properties and Applications

Polyvinylchloride (PVC, vinyl) is a clear and mostly amorphous polymer with good flame resistance. Chemically pure PVC is rigid and hard and has low impact strength. It is, however, compatible with many plasticizers which greatly improves its flexibility and toughness. A major drawback of PVC is its poor resistance to heat and light. It easily decomposes under moderate heat (dehydrochlorination), leading to intense color formation and deterioration of the polymer properties. For this reason, stabilizers are usually added to prevent or delay this process. The five major types of commercial PVC are:

PVC-U (rigid or unplasticized)
is a strong, stiff, and low cost thermoplastic that has high tensile strength and that is resistant to many chemicals. It is easy to weld using thermoplastic welding equipment and easy to bond using solvents or adhesives.

PVC-M (modified)
is a rigid thermoplastic with improved impact toughness. The elastic modulus, yield strength, and ultimate tensile strength, however, are generally lower than those of PVC-U.

PVC-P (flexible or plasticized)
is a flexible thermoplastic that has high impact strength and is easier to extrude, calender and mold than rigid PVC. On the down side, it has lower temperature and chemical resistance and lower ultimate tensile strength than PVC-U.

PVC-C (chlorinated)
is produced by chlorination of PVC resin. It has similar properties to PVC-U but has a higher upper service temperature.

PVC-O (Oriented PVC)
is produced by a special extrusion process, which results in a preferential orientation of the polymer chains in stretch direction. It has similar chemical resistance as PVC-U but enhanced mechanical properties in the preferred direction.

PVC finds extensive use is in the building and construction industry. This industry accounts for about 75 percent of all PVC consumption in the United States and for about 60 percent in the European Union. It is extensively used for water and sewage pipes, sidings, window frames, flooring, and wire and cable insulations. Other important applications are footwear, sporting goods, toys, and automotive parts like upholstery, floor mats, auto tops, and automotive wires and plastic films.

 

Manufacturers & Distributors

Companies

Brand Names