Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or Vinyl) is a high-strength thermoplastic material. It is widely used in applications such as pipes, medical devices, and wire & cable insulation…the list is endless. It is the world’s third-most widely produced synthetic plastic polymer. So, what is PVC? What is it made up of? How to process it? Get detailed technical information on Polyvinyl Chloride and its features.
Key Areas of Applications of PVC Resin
PVC is one of the most important thermoplastics in the world today. It is available in many forms. Rigid PVC (unplasticized) is one of the most widely used plastic materials. PVC finds use in construction, domestic, packaging, automotive, medical, toys, clothing, wires, and cables.
| Application | Rigid PVC | Flexible PVC |
| Construction | Window Frames, Pipes, House Siding, Ports, Roofing | Waterproof Membranes, Cable Insulations, Roof Lining, Greenhouses |
| Domestic | Curtain Rails, Drawer Sides, Laminates, Audio and Videotape Cases, Records | Flooring, Wall Coverings, Shower Curtains, Leather Cloth, Hosepipes |
| Packaging | Bottles, Blister Packs, Transparent Packs and Punnets | Cling Film |
| Transport | Car Seat Backs | Under Seal, Roof Linings, Leather Cloth Upholstery, Wiring Insulation, Window Seals, Decorative Trim |
| Medical | – | Oxygen Tents, Bags And Tubing For Blood Transfusions, Drips and Dialysis Liquids |
| Clothing | Safety Equipment | Waterproofs for Fishermen and Emergency Services, Life-Jackets, Shoes, Wellington Boots, Aprons and Baby Pants |
| Electrical | Insulation pipes, Jacketing, Electricity Distribution Boxes, Switches, Transparent Distributor Box Housings, Plug Housings & Battery Terminals | Cable & Wire insulation, plugs, cable jackets, sockets, Sable Heads and Distributors |
| Others | Floppy-Disk Covers, Credit Cards, Traffic Signs | Conveyor Belts, Inflatables, Sports Goods, Toys, Garden Hoses |
PVC come in many colors:Buttercup, Dove Grey, Peacock, Royal Blue, Silver Grey, Tangerine, Wedgewood, Black, Conifer, Cream, Dark Navy, Emerald, Fuchsia, Lemon, Lime, Navy, Orange, Pale Pink, Purple, Red, Royal Purple, Silver, White.
PVC is made of a long chain of vinyl chloride molecules. These molecules consist of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine in the chemical formula C2H3Cl.
Physical Properties
| Property | Value | Conditions and Remarks |
| Molecular weight (resin) | 140000 | cf: K57 PVC 70,000 |
| Relative density | 1.42 – 1.48 | cf: PE 0.95 – 0.96, GRP 1.4 – 2.1, CI 7.2, Clay 1.8 – 2.6 |
| Water absorption | 0.0012 | 23°C, 24 hours cf: AC 18 – 20% AS1711 |
| Hardness | 80 | Shore D Durometer, Brinell 15, Rockwell R 114, cf: PE Shore D 60 |
| Impact strength – 20°C | 20 kJ/m2 | Charpy 250 µm notch tip radius |
| Impact strength – 0°C | 8 kJ/m2 | Charpy 250 µm notch tip radius |
| Coefficient of friction | 0.4 | PVC to PVC cf: PE 0.25, PA 0.3 |
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